Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smashed 97 from 29 balls for the Rajasthan Royals against Sunrisers Hyderabad, lobbing 12 sixes and five fours at a 334.48 strike rate. The 15‑year‑old fell three runs short of the IPL’s fastest century, edging a Praful Hinge delivery to Ravichandran Smaran at third man. His timing left bowlers bewildered throughout the spell.

The innings pushed Sooryavanshi to 65 sixes for the 2026 IPL, shattering Chris Gayle's 14‑year mark of 53 set in 2012. The teenager already rewrote history as the youngest IPL centurion and the quickest player to reach 1,000 T20 runs. His power hitting also forces opponents to rethink field placements.

Rajasthan Royals’ chase faltered, falling short despite the onslaught, leaving them trailing in the points table and heightening pressure on their middle order. Sooryavanshi’s record‑breaking display draws fresh scrutiny from national selectors, who must decide whether his raw power outweighs the fine‑tuning needed for international cricket. The IPL now watches his next appearance with heightened interest.