Rajasthan Royals (RR) opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi produced a breathtaking display in the IPL 2026 Eliminator against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) at Mullanpur on Wednesday, May 27. After RR were asked to bat first, the 15-year-old sensation tore into the SRH bowling attack, hammering 97 runs from only 29 deliveries.
The left-hander dominated from the outset, unleashing a fierce assault during the powerplay and taking on even SRH skipper Pat Cummins with remarkable confidence. Suryavanshi came agonisingly close to eclipsing the record for the fastest IPL century, held by Chris Gayle, falling just three runs short of a hundred.
His explosive innings featured 12 towering sixes and five boundaries, leaving fans captivated with his fearless strokeplay. He eventually finished with a staggering strike rate of 334.48 in the high-pressure knockout encounter. The young prodigy received widespread acclaim on social media for his sensational innings.
Here are some of the standout reactions on twitter following his remarkable performance:
Vaibhav Suryavanshi's breathtaking innings came to an end on the last ball of the eighth over. Attempting an upper cut off a short delivery from Praful Hinge, the young batter mistimed the shot and picked out the fielder at third man. Clearly disappointed after missing out on a century, he made his way back to the pavilion with visible frustration.
Despite falling short of the three-figure mark, Suryavanshi etched his name into the record books. The 15-year-old now holds the record for the most sixes in a single IPL season, having smashed 65 maximums in IPL 2026. In doing so, he surpassed the previous benchmark of 59 sixes set by Chris Gayle.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi Powers RR Into Strong Position Despite Yashasvi Jaiswal's Lean Outing
While Vaibhav Suryavanshi took the attack to the bowlers from the very beginning, his opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal found it difficult to find momentum. The left-hander scored 29 runs off 29 deliveries before being dismissed in the 11th over.
Looking to clear the infield against a full delivery from left-arm spinner Shivang Kumar, Jaiswal went for an aerial drive but failed to time it properly, offering a straightforward catch to Abhishek Sharma.
Suryavanshi's explosive innings laid the foundation for a massive total, with the teenage sensation dominating the 125-run opening stand. While he did most of the scoring, Jaiswal contributed 25 runs from 20 balls.
At the time of writing, Rajasthan Royals were cruising at 214/4 after 16 overs, with Dasun Shanaka unbeaten on 5 off 2 balls and Donovan Ferreira on 3 off 4. The winner of the Eliminator will advance to Qualifier 2 against the Gujarat Titans, while the losing team will bow out of the tournament.