New Delhi:
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi came agonisingly close to scripting one of the greatest innings in IPL history before falling just three runs short of a record-breaking century during Rajasthan Royals’ IPL 2026 Eliminator clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad in New Chandigarh on Wednesday.
The 15-year-old batting sensation produced a breathtaking display of power-hitting, smashing 97 runs off just 29 deliveries in a knock that stunned both fans and experts. His explosive innings included 12 towering sixes and five boundaries as Rajasthan Royals posted a massive 243/8 in a high-pressure knockout encounter.
For a brief moment, it looked like Sooryavanshi would eclipse Chris Gayle’s iconic record for the fastest century in IPL history — a 30-ball hundred scored for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Pune Warriors in 2013.
But the fairytale ending never arrived.
Attempting an aggressive uppercut against Praful Hinge, Sooryavanshi mistimed the shot and was caught at deep third man. His innings ended on 97, leaving the cricket world wondering what could have been.
“I Wanted To Play Freely”: Sooryavanshi On His Fearless Approach
Despite the pressure of an IPL Eliminator, the teenager said he consciously avoided overthinking the occasion and focused only on playing his natural attacking game.
“Yes, I had that in my mind,” Sooryavanshi admitted when asked whether the significance of the match crossed his mind. “My coaches told me to play freely, enjoy the game, and not take any pressure.”
Speaking about missing out on the century, he explained that the dismissal came from trying to force the shot in a particular direction.
“I wasn’t really thinking about the hundred like that, but I played that shot after looking at the fielder, and that’s why I mistimed it. If I had gone towards third man, it would have cleared easily. But I tried to hit it straight, and that’s why I missed the shot,” he said.
SRH Tried Defensive Tactics, But Sooryavanshi Destroyed Everything
Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins began cautiously against the young opener, deploying deep square leg and deep midwicket while instructing bowlers to keep the ball full and straight.
The plan nearly worked for the opening deliveries.
But one overpitched ball changed everything.
Sooryavanshi launched it over mid-off for six and immediately shifted momentum in Rajasthan’s favour. RR reached 9/0 after the opening over before the teenager unleashed complete destruction on bowlers including Eshan Malinga and Sakib Hussain.
By the end of the fourth over, Rajasthan Royals had stormed to 63 without loss, with Sooryavanshi already smashing 36 runs off just 10 balls.
At the other end, Yashasvi Jaiswal played a quiet supporting role, scoring 19 off 16 deliveries while watching the teenager dominate almost every over.
Record-Breaking Knock Rewrites IPL History
Sooryavanshi’s 16-ball half-century equalled Suresh Raina’s record for the fastest fifty in IPL playoff history.
The innings also helped him surpass multiple major T20 milestones:
- Most sixes in a single IPL season
- Most sixes in an IPL playoff innings
- Most runs by an uncapped player in an IPL season
- Most powerplay runs in a single IPL season
- Joint-most IPL innings featuring 10 or more sixes
His tally of 65 sixes this season pushed him past Chris Gayle’s previous record of 59 maximums in a single IPL edition.
Dhruv Jurel Keeps RR Momentum Alive
Even after Sooryavanshi’s dismissal at 125/1 in the eighth over, Rajasthan Royals continued attacking aggressively.
Dhruv Jurel launched a fierce counterattack, reaching his fifty in just 20 balls with a range of scoops, pulls and straight hits against the SRH bowlers.
Rajasthan surged to 192/3 in 13.5 overs before wickets began falling rapidly in the latter half of the innings. Contributions from Riyan Parag, Dasun Shanaka, Donovan Ferreira and Ravindra Jadeja ensured RR crossed the 240-run mark.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, however, fought back late with disciplined death bowling from Nitish Kumar Reddy and an outstanding boundary catch by Abhishek Sharma to dismiss Jofra Archer.
A Star Beyond His Years
At just 15 years old, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is no longer merely a promising youngster. He has rapidly evolved into one of the biggest stories of IPL 2026.
What made the innings even more remarkable was the composure with which he handled the pressure of a knockout match. Against experienced international bowlers and under the spotlight of an Eliminator, the teenager played with extraordinary fearlessness and maturity.
He may have missed a historic century by three runs, but his 97-run blitz will still be remembered as one of the most explosive innings ever played in IPL playoff history.