IPL: 15-year-old’s record-breaking blitz sends Rajasthan Royals into Qualifier 2

Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi produced one of the most explosive innings in IPL history as Rajasthan Royals stormed into Qualifier 2 with a commanding 47-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator at Mullanpur.

The teenage sensation smashed a breathtaking 97 off just 29 balls, powering Rajasthan to a massive total of 243 before the Royals bowled out Hyderabad well short of the target.

Fittingly, it was Sooryavanshi who sealed the win, taking the final catch as Rajasthan booked a Qualifier 2 clash with Gujarat Titans for a place in the IPL final.

Sunrisers captain Pat Cummins’ decision to bowl first quickly backfired as Rajasthan launched a relentless assault from the opening overs. Sooryavanshi turned the match into a personal showcase, hammering five fours and 12 sixes at a staggering strike rate above 330.

Eight of his sixes came during the powerplay — the most by any batter in that phase of an IPL innings. His half-century came in only 16 balls, equalling the record for the fastest fifty in IPL playoff history previously set by Suresh Raina.

The innings also saw Sooryavanshi surpass Chris Gayle’s long-standing record for the most sixes in a single T20 tournament. The youngster’s season tally climbed to 65 sixes, overtaking Gayle’s previous mark of 59 set during the 2012 IPL season.

Hyderabad’s bowlers struggled throughout as yorkers, slower balls and changes in length all disappeared into the stands. Sooryavanshi eventually fell just three runs short of a sensational century after mistiming an attempt over deep third man, but by then Rajasthan had already seized complete control.

Dhruv Jurel maintained the momentum with a blistering half-century off just 21 deliveries as Rajasthan finished with a daunting 243 despite Hyderabad tightening up slightly at the death.

Chasing a huge total in a knockout match, Sunrisers were forced into an aggressive approach from the start. Jofra Archer struck early, removing Hyderabad’s top three, including Abhishek Sharma for a duck in the opening over.

Nitish Kumar Reddy and impact substitute Salil Arora briefly revived the chase with a rapid fifty-run partnership, while Heinrich Klaasen entertained with several attacking strokes, including a remarkable inside-out six over extra cover.

However, Rajasthan regained control through Ravindra Jadeja, who dismissed Reddy for a quickfire 38 before removing Arora soon after. From there, Hyderabad’s innings collapsed rapidly as wickets fell in clusters.

For Sunrisers Hyderabad, a season built on explosive batting ended in disappointment despite crossing the 200-run mark nine times during the campaign.

Rajasthan Royals, meanwhile, head into Qualifier 2 full of confidence, with Sooryavanshi emerging as one of the standout stars of the tournament and a major threat heading into the final stages of the competition.

The Qualifier 2 match will feature Rajasthan Royals going head-to-head against the Gujarat Titans. The winner of this knockout match will advance to play defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the grand final.

IPL fans in Afghanistan can tune in on Friday to Ariana Television for a live broadcast of the event.