Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s blitz in the IPL 2026 Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) was a spectacle for cricket fans. The 15-year-old smashed a breathtaking 97 off just 29 balls, clearing the ropes 12 times while rewriting the record books. Though he fell agonisingly short of a deserved century, his knock left fans and legends alike in awe.
Sooryavanshi eclipsed Chris Gayle’s record for most sixes in a single IPL edition, racing to 65 maximums to surpass Gayle’s 59 in 2015. The ‘Universe Boss’ himself lauded the RR opener, dubbing him the “new six machine” for his extraordinary power-hitting.
“What a phenomenal player Vaibhav is. Great entertainment young man! New Six machine,” Gayle wrote.
What a phenomenal player Vaibhav is. Great entertainment
young man! New Six machine @IPL pic.twitter.com/ofElAousF7
— Chris Gayle (@henrygayle) May 27, 2026
Sooryavanshi’s absolute carnage, followed by Jofra Archer’s class performance, helped Rajasthan Royals clinch a commanding 47-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL Eliminator.
“I got to know after the game,” he said at the post-match presentation when asked about missing the record of fastest IPL hundred.
“My focus was on hitting a six. I will score centuries in future, but the focus was on getting maximum runs for the team. I just work on my plan, and if there are any shortcomings, I just try to work on that,” Sooryavanshi added.
Meanwhile, India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav praised the batting prodigy from Bihar for his entertaining knock. Taking to social media, Suryakumar termed Sooryavanshi a ‘star in making’.
“Chin up boy. What a CLASS innings, you’ve taken everyone’s breath away,” Surya wrote on X.
Chin up boy 👏🏼 what a CLASS
inning, you’ve taken everyone’s breath away. Star in the making ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/rgkq98SbPg— Surya Kumar Yadav (@surya_14kumar) May 27, 2026
While Sooryavanshi’s innings stole the spotlight, Jofra Archer’s fiery spell sealed the contest. The England pacer dismantled SRH’s top order in the powerplay, removing Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, and Ishan Kishan to leave them reeling early.
Chasing a daunting target, Sunrisers Hyderabad never recovered from the early blows and were bowled out for 196 in 19.2 overs. Rajasthan Royals now advance to Qualifier 2, where they will face Gujarat Titans for a place in the final.
