Vihaan Malhotra: Punjab Lad Shines in U-19 World Cup, Destroys Bangladesh

• Vihaan Malhotra, a 19-year-old all-rounder from Patiala, Punjab, was the 'Player of the Match' in the U-19 World Cup Group B match against Bangladesh.
• He took 4 crucial wickets for just 14 runs, dismantling Bangladesh's middle order and turning the game in India's favor.
• Born on January 1, 2007, Vihaan comes from an educated family but chose cricket, training at local academies and joining the Punjab U-16 team at 14.
• Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) acquired him for Rs. 30 lakhs in the IPL 2026 mini-auction, recognizing his potential as a left-handed batsman and right-arm off-break bowler.
• As vice-captain of the U-19 team, he previously scored 61 runs in the Asia Cup semi-final against Sri Lanka and aims for a spot in the senior Indian team.

Why It Matters: Vihaan Malhotra's all-round brilliance in the U-19 World Cup marks him as a promising talent for Indian cricket.