Vaibhav sooryanshi

Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket: Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi delivered one of the most incredible innings in the history of the knockout stage of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as he scored 97 runs off 28 balls, leaving Sunrisers Hyderabad stunned and leading Rajasthan Royals to 243/8 in 20 overs in the Eliminator of the IPL 2026 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh.

The 15-year-old set records with a remarkable display of hitting. He reached his fifty in just 16 balls, matching the fastest in an IPL playoff, alongside Suresh Raina’s effort in 2014. Sooryavanshi also broke Chris Gayle's record for the most sixes in a T20 tournament. Just three runs shy of the fastest IPL hundred, he fell for 97 off 28 balls after completely dismantling SRH’s bowling strategy and turning the powerplay into chaos.

Pat Cummins used an unusual defensive strategy, placing deep square leg and deep midwicket for Sooryavanshi. He bowled almost exclusively full and straight to limit Sooryavanshi’s scoring opportunities. The plan almost worked for three balls until one well-placed delivery sailed over mid-off for six.