IPL 2026: Teen sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi powers Rajasthan Royals into Qualifier 2

Mangalore Today News Network

Mullanpur, May 28, 2026: Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi once again lit up the IPL stage with a breathtaking display of power-hitting as Rajasthan Royals crushed Sunrisers Hyderabad by 47 runs in the Eliminator on Wednesday.

The 15-year-old prodigy produced a sensational 97 off just 29 balls, smashing five fours and 12 sixes, to propel Rajasthan Royals to a massive 243/8 in 20 overs at the Mullanpur Stadium.

Already enjoying a dream season with 583 runs at a staggering strike rate of 232.27 before the knockout clash, Sooryavanshi elevated his reputation further with an innings that left fans and experts stunned. The left-hander single-handedly dismantled the Sunrisers bowling attack and laid the foundation for Rajasthan’s dominant victory.

Defending the daunting total, Rajasthan struck early through Jofra Archer, who removed the dangerous trio of Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Travis Head inside the Powerplay. Sunrisers never truly recovered from the early blows as Rajasthan continued to chip away with wickets at regular intervals to seal victory and book a Qualifier 2 clash against Gujarat Titans on Friday.

However, the night belonged entirely to Sooryavanshi. Fearless and aggressive from the outset, the youngster announced his intentions by lofting Sunrisers skipper Pat Cummins for a straight six off just the third ball he faced.

Sunrisers attempted to counter him with fuller deliveries outside off-stump, trying to deny him room for his trademark leg-side shots and cuts. But Sooryavanshi adapted brilliantly. Anything pitched up was driven straight back over the bowler’s head, while short deliveries disappeared into the stands.

Neither Cummins nor fellow pacers Eshan Malinga, Sakin Hussain and Praful Hinge found any answer to the teenager’s relentless assault. Despite constant discussions in the dugout and repeated changes in plans, Sunrisers failed to halt the carnage.

The Bihar batter raced into the 90s in no time and even threatened Chris Gayle’s record for the fastest IPL century. Already having surpassed Gayle’s mark for most sixes in a season with 59 maximums, Sooryavanshi looked set for a historic hundred.

Batting on 97 off 28 balls, he attempted a cut shot off a short and wide delivery from Hinge but mistimed it to the deep, falling agonisingly short of a century. The youngster looked visibly disappointed as he walked back, fully aware of the opportunity missed.

Yet, by then, he had already stolen the show with one of the most explosive innings in IPL playoff history.