Delray Rawlins has hailed the “best moment of my career” after his stunning unbeaten century on his England Under-19 debut against India at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Rawlins rescued the England innings with 107 not out, then claimed two for 46 from his allotted ten overs of slow left arm to lead the visiting side to a 23-run victory in their opening one-day match yesterday.

The left-handed all-rounder, who skipped an assignment with the ICC Americas team at the West Indies Regional Super50 Tournament, where Kamau Leverock is featuring, hit eight fours and five sixes from 88 balls during his man-of-the-match display.

“It’s a great feeling,” said Rawlins, who had been presented with his one-day cap by chairman of the under-19 selectors David Graveney OBE before the start. “Getting the England cap was a special moment

“Then to go out there and have another special moment getting to three figures, I’ll never forget it — definitely the top moment so far.

“I knew I was going well, and then our twelfth man Will Jacks came on and asked me if I wanted to know how many I’d got.

“I definitely did — it was 98, and I got a couple of singles to get to the hundred. But it wouldn’t feel the same if we hadn’t won the match.”

Rawlins arrived at the wicket with his team in trouble at 98 for four. That soon became 106 for five with the dismissal of opener Harry Brook for 51, with Tom Banton to follow soon after for nine.

Rawlins then launched a blistering counter-attack while finding an adhesive partner in captain Matthew Fisher. The pair put on 116 runs for the seventh wicket in a ball short of 17 overs, Fisher contributing 26.

India, chasing 257, made a similarly stuttering start to their reply, helped by Rawlins claiming wickets in successive balls to leave them 103 for five in the 21st over.

But the home side had a century-maker of their own, opener Himanshu Rana racing to 101 off 87 balls before caught behind at 198 for seven with 14 overs left.

India strike bowler Kamlesh Nagarkoti threatened for a while on his way to 37, but his dismissal signalled the end and England wrapped up an opening win in the next over. India left a baffling 43 balls unused. Rawlins, who also claimed two catches, praised the contributions of several of his team-mates.

“Fisher bowled extremely well with the new ball, and Henry Brookes got a couple of big wickets for us when he came back near the end,” said Rawlins, a Bailey’s Bay and St George’s Cup Match player.

“And I think Harry Brook and Ollie Pope deserve a lot of credit for the way they got us out of trouble after a bad start. They set up the platform.”

The second game of the five-match series takes place tomorrow in Mumbai.