Vaibhav Sooryavanshi fell one boundary short of becoming the fastest IPL centurion during the IPL 2026 Eliminator between Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad today (May 27).
Batting first, Rajasthan were 20 off the first two overs, with Yashasvi Jaiswal on seven off seven balls, and Sooryavanshi on 13 off five. The 15-year-old, like he has done most of the season, stole the show, scoring 24 runs off the third over that was sent down by Pat Cummins.
Batting on 36 off 10 balls at that point, Sooryavanshi reached his fifty off 16 balls, after hitting Sakib Hussain for three sixes in the fourth. He also became the highest six-hitter in a single edition en route to his half-century, with his 60th six of the 2026 season, overtaking Chris Gayle, who had smashed 59 in 2012. After his innings, he had 65 sixes in the season.
Also Read: Rapid hands, split-second reactions: What makes Vaibhav Sooryavanshi a batting tornado
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi falls on 97 off 29
Sooryavanshi scored 17 in his next seven balls before realisation hit that he could become the fastest centurion in the IPL – a record held by Gayle, off 30 deliveries. The first ball that he faced in the eighth over went for a six, with a four to follow. Praful Hinge then sent down a no-ball, with Sooryavanshi scored ten runs off the delivery – a four off the no-ball and a six on the free hit. It took him 91 off 27, needing a six and a four in the next two balls for the record.
Sooryavanshi lofted the fifth ball of the over for a six, moving to 97, and the record seemed his when he moved across against a shorter delivery, upper cutting it over third for what seemed like a boundary. However, R Smaran held on to the catch, leaving Sooryavanshi stunned: he had to drag himself off the field.
Rajasthan scored 125 runs for the opening wicket in eight overs, of which Jaiswal contributed with 25 in 20.
Sooryavanshi already holds the record for the fastest IPL hundred by an Indian, scoring a ton off 35 balls last year. This year, he has scored 680 runs at 45.33 at a strike rate of 242.85 with one hundred and four fifties.
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