The 15-year-old wonder Vaibhav Sooryavanshi delivered one of the best knocks in the history of the IPL playoff, helping the Rajasthan Royals beat Sunrisers Hyderabad to enter Qualifier 2 at the PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh during the IPL 2026 Eliminator.
On a high-pressure knockout night, Sooryavanshi played with remarkable fearlessness, and with just 29 balls, he knocked off a breathtaking 97 runs, much to the astonishment of all. His strokes and big sixes in the hole completely turned the game around in a few overs, and soon the SRH bowlers were in shatters.
The teenager pulled up the rear in the chase for a half-century in 16 balls, which is the same as Suresh Raina’s record for fastest half-century in IPL playoffs. His 97 off 28 deliveries looked like putting the pressure on Chris Gayle’s record for the quickest century in the IPL. But his sensational knock was snuffed out in the most heartbreaking manner when he missed a shot off Praful Hinge and was caught close to the boundary.
Although he missed out on a historic performance by three runs, Sooryavanshi’s innings went straight into the IPL annals. He hit 12 giant sixes and five hits on five deliveries, hitting the ball in a way that was almost like a cannon shot and at an incredible strike-rate of more than 334, one of the strongest blows in the tournament.
Rajasthan Royals had made a huge total of 243 earlier, and much of it owed to the brilliance of the teenager. The latter’s answer was to come from nowhere to annihilate the top order, as Jofra Archer set a brilliant pace for the Sunrisers Hyderabad effort, which never looked back.
The victory secured a spot for Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 where they have a match with Gujarat Titans for the final in IPL 2026.