Vaibhav Sooryavanshi became the joint-second fastest player to reach 1,000 runs in the Indian Premier League on Friday, as he smashed his way to a sensational 96 off 47 deliveries during Rajasthan Royals’ qualifying match against Gujarat Titans.
The 15-year-old batter entered the match with 932 runs from 22 IPL appearances and smashed his way to a half-century off 31 deliveries. It came after he equalled the fastest 50 ever struck in the IPL play-offs during Wednesday’s victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad, passing the milestone off 16 balls.
It was his fifth 50 of the season, and the sixth in his IPL career, with Sooryavanshi showing no mercy to the Gujarat Titans bowlers, thumping six fours and two sixes.
Sooryavanshi has hit two hundreds so far this season in the IPL
He put his foot on the gas pedal after bringing up his 50, hitting another four fours and a booming six before flailing at a shorter delivery from Kagiso Rabada, sending the ball up into the air to deep third, where he was caught by Shubman Gill.
Despite agonisingly missing out on what would have been his second century of the 2026 IPL this season, Sooryavanshi equalled Lendl Simmons as the second fastest players to reach 1,000 IPL runs, doing so off 23 innings.
Only Shaun Marsh achieved the feat quicker, reaching the milestone in 21 innings.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi struck his second hundred of the IPL season against Gujarat Titans on Friday
Sooryavanshi was also seven runs away from breaking his high score in the IPL this season, a 103, which he struck against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 25.
Rajasthan Royals had looked in trouble mid-way through their innings, losing four wickets for 109 runs, through 12 overs.
The Royals won the toss and elected to bat in the qualifier, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sooryavanshi walking to the crease to open.
Sooryavanshi smashed his way to a half-century off 31 deliveries
Jaiswal lasted only two deliveries, after attempting to pull a ball from Mohammed Siraj out to deep-backward square, where Prasidh Krishna was waiting, to take the catch.
Dhruv Jurel was sent walking next by Rabada, for seven runs off six deliveries, before Ravindra Jadeja steadied the ship. He struck 45 runs off 35 deliveries before he was forced to retire with an injury.
While a blow for the Royals, Sooryavanshi stood up, keeping the run rate ticking over, moving the Royals to within 28 runs of the 200-run mark before he was dismissed by Rabada.
Donovan Ferreira (38), Riyan Parag (11), Dasun Shanaka (3) and Jofra Archer (7) saw out the remainder of the innings, as the Royals gave the Titans a target of 215 to win.
More to follow…
Watch England’s home international summer live on Sky Sports, starting with a three-Test series against New Zealand from June 4. Not got Sky? Stream cricket contract-free on NOW.
