Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's Record-Breaking Performance Propels Rajasthan Royals to IPL 2026 Qualifier 2

Rajasthan Royals Secure Spot in Qualifier 2

Rajasthan Royals (RR) advanced to the Qualifier 2 of IPL 2026 after a thrilling victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Eliminator match. The standout performer for RR was Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who delivered an astonishing innings of 97 runs off just 29 balls, marking one of the most remarkable performances in the tournament's history. Sooryavanshi's explosive display earned him the Player of the Match award, but it was a touching moment with cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar that captured the audience's attention. In a now-viral video, Sooryavanshi, during a football practice session, approached Gavaskar, who was preparing for a pre-match show, and respectfully touched his feet to receive blessings. He also showed similar respect to Sanjay Bangar.

Sooryavanshi Sets New Sixes Record

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Breaks All-Time Chris Gayle Record

In his remarkable innings against SRH, Sooryavanshi hit 12 sixes, setting a new record for the most sixes in a single IPL season, surpassing Chris Gayle's previous record of 59 sixes established in IPL 2012. Additionally, he now holds the record for the most sixes in any single edition of a T20 tournament. As he approached his century, Sooryavanshi attempted an upper cut off a delivery from Praful Hinge but was caught by Smaran Ravichandran at third man, falling just short of the milestone. Had he succeeded, he would have become the fastest centurion in IPL history, breaking Gayle's record of a 30-ball century against Pune Warriors India in 2012.