Rajasthan Royals’ Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (AP Photo)

Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continues to rewrite IPL history with astonishing ease, and his breathtaking 97 off just 29 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2026 Eliminator has now become one of the most destructive innings the tournament has ever witnessed. The Rajasthan Royals opener recorded the second-highest strike rate ever for an IPL innings of 70 runs or more, placing his unforgettable knock alongside some of the most iconic innings in league history. Highest strike rate for 70+ scores in IPL history:

Sooryavanshi’s innings left the cricketing world stunned as the 15-year-old toyed with the likes of Pat Cummins on a true batting surface in Mullanpur. The teenager launched a relentless six-hitting assault, smashing 12 maximums during his stay at the crease. Cummins and the SRH bowlers tried multiple plans against the free-flowing left-hander, but Sooryavanshi kept sending the ball into the stands with astonishing ease. Anything pitched full disappeared straight back over the bowler’s head, short balls were slashed over third man and deliveries on his pads were effortlessly picked up over fine leg. His bat speed and fearless intent completely overwhelmed SRH’s experienced attack. Not long ago, Sooryavanshi had told Kevin Pietersen about his outrageous ambition of scoring a double hundred in T20 cricket. Watching him dismantle SRH in the Eliminator, that dream suddenly did not feel unrealistic. The RR opener eventually fell for 97 after getting caught at third man off Praful Hinge, narrowly missing out on breaking Chris Gayle’s all-time IPL record for the fastest century. His slow walk back to the pavilion reflected his disappointment even as the entire stadium applauded the extraordinary innings. During the knock, Sooryavanshi also broke Gayle’s 14-year-old record for the most sixes in a single IPL season. He now has a staggering 65 sixes in IPL 2026. To put his innings into perspective, the teenager raced to his half-century in just 16 balls, with half those deliveries clearing the boundary ropes. His opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal was reduced to a spectator at the other end, finishing with a run-a-ball 29 while Sooryavanshi dominated almost every over. Dhruv Jurel later added a superb 50 off 21 balls, but Rajasthan Royals lost momentum in the death overs after reaching 180 for 2 in 13 overs. SRH fought back strongly in the final phase, picking up five wickets for just 36 runs in the last five overs. Still, the night belonged to Sooryavanshi, whose stunning 335 strike rate now stands behind only Raina’s legendary 2014 playoff carnage against Punjab Kings.