Vaibhav Sooryavanshi reclaimed the Orange Cap as Rajasthan Royals won the IPL 2026 match against Punjab Kings on Tuesday (April 28).
The Rajasthan Royals opener has been an absolute nightmare for opposition bowlers, particularly in the powerplay, where he has smashed 319 runs off just 130 balls at a staggering strike rate of 245.4. He scored 43 off just 16 balls.
Currently holding the Orange Cap for the second time, the 15-year-old is the tournament's highest run-scorer. In just nine innings, he has accumulated 400 runs, boasting a strike rate of 238.09, alongside one century and two fifties.
The stage was set at the New Chandigarh Stadium after the Punjab Kings posted a formidable target of 223. Earlier in the match, PBKS set the tone through
Prabhsimran Singh (59 off 44), who was ably assisted by Priyansh Arya (29 off 11) and Cooper Connolly (30 off 14).
Although the RR bowlers briefly choked the run flow in the middle overs, a brutal, unbeaten 62 off 22 balls from Marcus Stoinis featuring six sixes and four boundaries gave Punjab their much-needed momentum. Stoinis's bludgeoning knock helped Punjab plunder 55 runs in the final three overs.
The Helicopter Takes Flight: Sooryavanshi Channels Dhoni
Chasing 223, Rajasthan needed a fast start, and Sooryavanshi delivered a masterclass in fearless strokeplay. The ever-evolving batter unveiled a fresh weapon in his arsenal, taking a leaf out of MS Dhoni's playbook by executing the iconic helicopter shot twice during his blazing knock of 43.
The first instance arrived on the fourth ball of the second over when Lockie Ferguson delivered a fuller ball onto the pads. Using absolute wrist power, Sooryavanshi flicked the ball to emulate the signature shot. Even with no follow-through, the ball sailed over mid-wicket for a six.
REACTIONS SAY IT ALL AFTER THAT HELICOPTER SHOT 🚁🔥
Shreyas Iyer — stunned 👀
Arshdeep Singh — speechless 😳
Preity Zinta — mind blown 🤯
All because of that insane helicopter shot from Vaibhav Suryavanshi 🚁🔥 pic.twitter.com/2t7KnQyz2D- Faruk🐦 (@uf2151593) April 28, 2026
Not stopping there, the young opener brought out the shot again on the first ball of the fourth over. When Arshdeep Singh angled a fuller delivery onto the leg stump, Sooryavanshi got forward, whipped the ball with a bat twirl, and smashed it over mid-wicket for his second helicopter six of the night.
The fireworks were momentarily halted when Arshdeep Singh struck back on the very next delivery, dismissing Sooryavanshi for 43 off 16 balls. However, the 15-year-old's brief cameo which included three boundaries and five sixes had already done massive damage, propelling the Rajasthan Royals to a commanding 51 runs inside just the first 19 balls of the powerplay which was ultimately won by them.
