Teen sensation Vaibhav Sooyanvanshi delivered one of the most explosive knocks in IPL history as the Rajasthan Royals opener hammered 97 runs off just 29 balls during the IPL 2026 eliminator against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. The breathtaking innings not only powered Rajasthan Royals to a massive total but also saw the 15-year-old rewrite the record books of the tournament.
Playing in the New Chandigarh, Sooryanvansi unleashes a brutal assault on the SRH bowling attack, smashing 12 sixes and racing to a 16-ball half-century. His innings came to an end on 97, leaving him just three runs short of what would have been one of the fastest centuries in the history of IPL.
The young left-hander’s stunning knock helped him break the long-standing IPL record for most sixes in a single season. He surpasses Chris Gayle’s iconic tally of 59 sixes from the 2012 IPL season, taking his season count beyond 60 sixes.
The remarkable rise of Sooryavanshi has been one of the biggest stories of the IPL 2026. The Bihar-born batter has consistently dominated the bowling attacks throughout the tournament with his fearless strokeplay and extraordinary power hitting despite only being 15 years old
Cricket legends and fans across social media have praised the youngster after the innings, with many calling him the furniture of the indian cricket, his knock also equalled Suresh Raina’s record for the fastest fifty in an IPL playoff match.
Even though he narrowly missed a century, Sooryanvansi’s fearless 97 is already being regarded as one of the greatest innings ever seen in the IPL. With the Rajasthan Royals chasing another title, the teenage prodigy has quickly become the face of IPL 2026 and a new superstar in world T20 cricket.
Sources: Times of India | The Economic Times
