“Cleared easily”: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi left heartbroken after falling short of C – Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Breaks Chris Gayle’s Historic Record in IPL 2026 Eliminator
The Rise of a Wonderboy: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Decimates SRH in IPL 2026 Eliminator
The Maharaja Yadavindra Singh PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh bore witness to one of the most destructive batting displays in the history of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL). In the high-stakes Eliminator of the IPL 2026 season between the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and the Rajasthan Royals (RR), young prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi played the knock of his life, humiliating a formidable Hyderabad bowling line-up from the very first over of the match.
After Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to field, Sooryavanshi went on an absolute rampage. The left-handed batter blazed his way to 97 runs off just 29 deliveries, striking at a jaw-dropping rate. His explosive innings was decorated with 12 towering sixes and 5 boundaries, laying a massive foundation for the Rajasthan Royals and leaving the opposition completely shell-shocked.
Shattering Chris Gayle’s Legendary Sixes Record
With his breathtaking display of power-hitting, Sooryavanshi did not just guide his team to a commanding position; he also etched his name into IPL folklore by breaking several historic records. Most notably, the young batsman surpassed the “Universe Boss” Chris Gayle for the most sixes hit in a single IPL season.
During his legendary 2012 campaign, Gayle struck 59 sixes in 14 innings for the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Sooryavanshi surpassed this iconic milestone during his blitz in New Chandigarh, taking his tally to an unbelievable 65 sixes in 15 innings this season. Additionally, he reached his half-century in just 16 balls, further asserting his dominance in the tournament.
An Unprecedented Season for an Uncapped Sensation
Sooryavanshi’s masterclass in the Eliminator also secured him the coveted Orange Cap. Across the season, the uncapped batting sensation has amassed 680 runs, dominating opposition attacks at an unprecedented strike rate to become the highest run-scorer by an uncapped player in a single IPL season.
His 12 sixes in the match also established a new record for the most sixes hit in an IPL innings by an Indian batsman. Furthermore, he equaled Chris Gayle’s record for hitting 10 or more sixes in an innings the most times in IPL history, with both players having achieved the feat on four separate occasions.
Heartbreak and High Hopes: Sooryavanshi’s Mid-Innings Reflections
Despite his historic achievement, Sooryavanshi was left slightly disappointed after missing out on a well-deserved century. Speaking during the mid-innings break, the young opener shared his thoughts on the dismissal and the game’s progression.
“No, it was somewhere in my mind, but all the coaches told me to do exactly what I’ve been doing in practice, enjoy the game, and not take pressure in this match,” Sooryavanshi revealed when asked about the pressure of the playoffs. When questioned if the boundaries felt too small for his explosive style, he modestly replied, “No sir.”
Reflecting on his dismissal just three runs short of a century, he expressed some regret over his shot selection. “I wasn’t really thinking about it like that, but I played that shot after looking at the fielder, and that’s why I mistimed it. If I had gone towards third man, it would have cleared easily. But I tried to hit it straight, and that’s why I missed the shot.”
Even after his departure, Sooryavanshi remained highly optimistic about the team’s total. “From my perspective, even after I got out, it still felt it was possible to score 260+. But now, whatever score we have, we will look to defend it and execute whatever plans we have.”
Rajasthan Royals Post a Mammoth Total
Powered by Sooryavanshi’s explosive start, the Rajasthan Royals posted a monumental 243/8 in their allotted 20 overs. While the opener was the star of the show, he received valuable support from his teammates. Yashasvi Jaiswal contributed a quick 29, while Dhruv Jurel played a stunning cameo, blasting a brilliant half-century off just 21 deliveries. Skipper Riyan Parag also chipped in with a rapid 26 off 11 balls to keep the momentum going.
For the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Praful Hinge was the standout performer with the ball, returning impressive figures and picking up three crucial wickets to put some brakes on the Royals’ scoring rate in the death overs.
Sunrisers Hyderabad Struggle in the Mammoth Chase
Chasing a daunting target of 244, the Sunrisers Hyderabad got off to a disastrous start. Explosive opener Abhishek Sharma was dismissed for a duck, putting immediate pressure on the batting unit. While Ishan Kishan showed some resistance with a quickfire 33, and Travis Head got off to a promising start, neither could sustain the momentum.
By the 10th over, half of the Sunrisers’ lineup was back in the dugout with the scoreboard reading 93/5. With the required run rate climbing rapidly, the target of 244 runs looked increasingly out of reach for Hyderabad, putting Rajasthan Royals firmly in the driver’s seat to secure their spot further in the tournament.
