Vaibhav Sooryavanshi produced a historic innings in the IPL Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad as the Rajasthan Royals youngster rewrote several T20 and IPL records during his breathtaking 97 off just 29 deliveries. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi played with fearless intent from the very first over, smashing five fours and twelve sixes at an astonishing strike rate of 334.48 to power RR to 243/8 in 20 overs.
Although he narrowly missed a century, the innings still entered the history books as one of the most destructive playoff knocks ever witnessed in the IPL.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Breaks Chris Gayle’s Six-Hitting Record
One of the biggest records shattered during the innings was the record for most sixes in a single IPL season. Chris Gayle had previously held the record with 59 sixes during the 2012 season, but Vaibhav Sooryavanshi surpassed that mark during his explosive knock against SRH & now has 65 sixes to his name.
The RR opener also crossed Gayle’s tally for most sixes in a T20 tournament, highlighting the unbelievable consistency with which he has dominated bowlers throughout the season. Achieving such numbers at a young age made the milestone even more extraordinary.
Most Sixes in an IPL Playoff Innings
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s twelve sixes against SRH also became the highest number of sixes hit by any batter in an IPL playoff innings. Every SRH bowler struggled to contain him as he repeatedly cleared the boundary with effortless power.
Pat Cummins endured a nightmare spell, conceding 64 runs in four wicketless overs at an economy of 16.00. Sakib Hussain leaked 52 runs in his four overs, while Eshan Malinga gave away 40 runs. Sooryavanshi attacked both pace and short boundaries brilliantly, refusing to let SRH settle at any stage.
Fastest Century Record Nearly Broken
The young RR batter came heartbreakingly close to breaking one of the most iconic IPL records — Chris Gayle’s fastest IPL century. Gayle had smashed a hundred in 30 balls for Royal Challengers Bengaluru back in 2013, and Sooryavanshi was only three runs away from surpassing that record before getting dismissed for 97 in the eighth over.
Despite missing the century, his 97 off 29 balls still became one of the fastest innings ever played in IPL history. He also raced to his half-century in just 14 balls, making it one of the quickest fifties recorded in an IPL playoff match.
A Star Announces Himself on the Biggest Stage
The partnership between Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal completely changed the game early on as RR crossed 120 runs within eight overs. While Jaiswal contributed 29 runs, Sooryavanshi dominated the scoring and dismantled SRH’s bowling plans entirely.
More than just an explosive innings, this knock was a statement from a young batter who shattered records once dominated by legends like Chris Gayle and announced himself as one of the most dangerous hitters in T20 cricket.
Also Read:Â SRH vs RR: Pat Cummins Lavishes Praise On Vaibhav Sooryavanshi