Vaibhav Sooryavanshi delivered one of the most breathtaking innings in IPL playoff history on Wednesday night, as the 15-year-old powerhouse smashed 97 off just 29 deliveries to power Rajasthan Royals to a dominant 47-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 Eliminator at Mullanpur. The win sends RR into Qualifier 2 against Gujarat Titans on May 29, while SRH are knocked out of the tournament.
Sooryavanshi Sets the Mullanpur Sky on Fire
From the very first ball, it was clear this was going to be a Sooryavanshi show. The teenager launched into the SRH attack without a hint of nerves, bringing up a stunning 16-ball fifty that had the entire crowd on their feet. He hammered the bowling to all parts of the ground, clearing the ropes with ridiculous ease and making even Pat Cummins and the SRH pace attack look ordinary. By the time he fell for 97 off 29 balls after top-edging an attempted uppercut, he had already broken Chris Gayle’s all-time record for the most sixes in a single IPL season and had come within one shot of breaking Gayle’s record for the fastest IPL century.
How Close He Came to Breaking Chris Gayle’s Century Record
Sooryavanshi needed just one more boundary to get there. He had 60 sixes for the season before the Eliminator and needed just seven more going in. The way he batted, it felt like the record was a formality. He came within three balls of making IPL playoff history, but the top edge to deep third off Praful Hinge ended the chase for the fastest century record. Still, a 29-ball 97 in a knockout game, under the brightest of lights, is a performance that will live in cricketing memory for decades.
RR’s Middle Order Struggles But Jurel Delivers
After Sooryavanshi’s dismissal, Rajasthan found it hard to maintain the momentum he had created. None of the other batters could match his ferocity and RR ended up seven short of the 250 that had seemed a certainty at one stage. Dhruv Jurel was the standout contributor with a 21-ball fifty that helped RR post 243 for eight. The total looked imposing, but with SRH’s batting lineup, nothing ever feels safe.
Jofra Archer Puts SRH Chase to Rest Immediately
SRH needed a blazing start to make a game of it, but Jofra Archer had very different plans. The England pacer removed Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, and Ishan Kishan in a devastating spell at the top of the innings, ripping the heart out of the SRH chase before it even began. Head and Ishan had briefly threatened with a 51-run stand off 15 balls, but Archer broke it up and never looked back. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Salil Arora tried their best with a rapid half-century stand, but SRH were eventually bowled out for 196 in 19.2 overs. The margin of 47 runs was comfortable, but it felt even wider than that.
What This Result Means for RR and the IPL 2026 Playoff Race
Rajasthan Royals have been building quietly throughout this season, with Sooryavanshi leading from the front in a way that has genuinely never been seen in this tournament before. They now face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 on May 29 in New Chandigarh. GT were beaten convincingly by RCB in Qualifier 1, so they come in wounded. For RR, this is their best chance to reach the final and give Sooryavanshi the stage he deserves in front of the biggest crowd possible. The tournament is his to light up and everyone knows it.
Written by 8JJ.com | May 28,2026
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