Teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi delivered one of the most remarkable innings of the Indian Premier League season, scoring 97 runs from just 29 balls to power Rajasthan Royals to a decisive win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the eliminator. The 15-year-old left the attack stunned with 12 sixes, including three consecutive sixes off Sunrisers captain Pat Cummins, as he raced to a half-century in only 16 deliveries and put his team in complete control early in the chase.
Sooryavanshi’s explosive start quickly became the defining feature of the match. He reached 50 before the end of the powerplay and continued to attack every bowler he faced, sending the ball to all parts of the ground with remarkable confidence. By the time he was dismissed in the eighth over, Rajasthan Royals had surged to 125 for 1, with opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal unbeaten on 25 from 20 balls. Sooryavanshi’s innings ended when he attempted an upper cut and was caught at deep third, leaving him visibly disappointed after being just three runs short of a century.
/https://i.s3.glbimg.com/v1/AUTH_1f551ea7087a47f39ead75f64041559a/internal_photos/bs/2026/J/1/kbYZ7WSXAhm2sS4DuG8g/amaury-lorenzo.jpg "Amaury Lorenzo returns to prime-time in the next 7 p.m. soap opera and says he has achieved financial stability: “I bought my parents’ house”")
The young batter had one delivery left to break Chris Gayle’s long-standing record for the fastest IPL hundred, but fell just short after a brilliant assault that left the crowd on its feet. Despite the disappointment of missing out on a milestone, he received warm applause from both spectators and opposing players, who acknowledged the quality of the innings. The knock also moved Sooryavanshi to the top of the IPL season’s run-scoring charts and added another record to his rapidly growing list of achievements. His seventh six of the innings also took him past Gayle’s previous record for the most sixes in a single IPL season, underlining the scale of his impact in the tournament.
Commentators and former players were quick to praise the teenager’s performance. India great Sunil Gavaskar, speaking on commentary, described it as a special innings and highlighted the skill, power and maturity shown by the youngster under pressure. Pat Cummins, who was targeted in the assault, admitted the contest had come down to fine margins and said that even a small error in execution could be punished immediately by Sooryavanshi’s aggressive stroke play.
The innings was not only significant for the match result but also for the wider conversation around the emergence of a new talent in Indian cricket. At just 15, Sooryavanshi showed no hesitation against international-quality bowling and produced a performance that combined fearless intent with extraordinary timing and power. His effort helped Rajasthan Royals seize momentum early and secure a strong position in the elimination clash, while also announcing him as one of the brightest young stars in the league.
