Harvansh Singh Pangalia, an 18‑year‑old wicketkeeper‑batter from Gandhidham in Gujarat’s Rann of Kutch, has captured attention with a blistering performance in a warm‑up Youth ODI, hitting an unbeaten 103 off 52 balls after coming to bat at number 9.
In a 50‑over match against an English invitational XI at Loughborough, Harvansh earned notice with a breathtaking century. India had slipped to 251 for seven in the 36th over when he walked in, alongside RS Ambrish. The pair added 126 runs, with Ambrish scoring a brisk 72 off 47 balls.
Pangalia reached his fifty with a boundary. In the final three overs, he unleashed an extraordinary assault. He started the 48th over with two sixes off Manny Lumsden, added a six off Matthew Firbank in the 49th, and then smashed three sixes and a four off Lumsden in the final over — his last six (9th overall) — bringing up his ton in just 52 balls. India finished at a resounding 442 for nine.
The knock earned comparisons to his October‑2024 innings against Australia, where he had smashed 117 runs, including seven fours and six sixes. Pangalia’s explosive batting puts him in the spotlight as India U‑19 faces England in a five‑match Youth ODI and two Youth Test series starting June 27.
His teammates Ayush Mhatre and Vaibhav Suryavanshi have since played in IPL 2025, securing lucrative contracts. Though he appreciates their success, Pangalia remains focused on his own journey. “Mera bhi time aayega,” (My time will come) he told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.
Who is Harvansh Singh Pangalia?
Born to father Damandeep Singh, who now lives in Brampton, Canada, and his mother who remains in Gandhidham, Pangalia has deep domestic roots yet global aspirations. His father and uncle were both wicketkeepers in their hometown, and his own dream of Test cricket is fuelled by family sacrifices and resilience.
Pangalia’s family history reflects a life divided between continents. His father works as a truck driver in Canada, rising at 2:30 am for early‑morning shifts, leaving little time at home. Harvansh lives with his mother in Gandhidham, carrying the weight of parental sacrifice and ambition. “Whenever I step out to bat, I see the faces of my mother and father. One lives in Gandhidham, while the other is in Brampton. I feel so bad for my mother. She stayed back so that I could live my dream,” he told the outlet.
Pangalia has promised to reunite his parents in India and remains resolutely determined.
Pangalia admires sporting greats. On his phone, a quote from Tobey Maguire’s Spider‑Man 2 resonates: “Trying to do better.”
“There’s something about that scene, that dialogue. Then they repeated the same dialogue 20 years later in ‘Spider‑Man: No Way Home.’ The answer gives me goosebumps,” he told the Indian news outlet from Hove.
He draws motivation from Kobe Bryant’s ‘Mamba Mentality’ and Yuvraj Singh’s legendary 2011 World Cup spirit. “The sportsperson I liked the most is the late Kobe Bryant. His Mamba Mentality. No athlete can match his work ethic. He used to train for six to eight hours, which is so inspiring.”
Pangalia loves playing red-ball cricket. “I love playing four‑day cricket. That’s the ultimate cricket,” he said.
Pangalia’s dazzling knock has already gone viral online with reels and memes dubbing him India’s next batting sensation. He admits that in the early stages of his innings, he struggled. “I was batting on 13 off 23 balls. I was just not able to find the gaps, and I was getting frustrated. But then something happened. Something snapped, aap keh sakte ho ki maata aa gayi (you could say I was possessed!),” he laughed, recalling the moment when he found his rhythm and exploded.
