Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi showcased a remarkable performance by scoring 93 runs to lead Rajasthan Royals to a seven-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL match on Tuesday. Sooryavanshi, a standout player in T20 cricket, hit his third half-century of the season with an explosive innings consisting of seven fours and 10 sixes in just 38 balls, steering Rajasthan’s successful chase of 221 runs at their home ground in Jaipur.
Despite falling short of a century, the left-handed Sooryavanshi’s innings was pivotal in Rajasthan’s win, with Dhruv Jurel’s unbeaten 53 also contributing to the team’s victory with five balls to spare. This win, their seventh in 13 matches, propelled Rajasthan into the top four positions on the IPL table, enhancing their chances of securing a playoff spot.
Rajasthan Royals now need to win their final league match against Mumbai Indians on Sunday to secure the last remaining playoff spot. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore, Gujarat Titans, and Sunrisers Hyderabad have already secured their spots in the playoffs of the ongoing tournament that is set to conclude on May 31 in Ahmedabad.
Sooryavanshi’s exceptional batting display overshadowed Lucknow opener Mitchell Marsh’s 96 runs, which helped his team reach a competitive total of 220-5. Sooryavanshi’s stellar form in the 2026 IPL season has seen him surpass Marsh’s tally of runs, leading the batting charts with 579 runs in 13 matches at a remarkable strike rate of 237.29, including one century.
Partnering with Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sooryavanshi initiated Rajasthan’s innings with a strong 75-run opening partnership, setting the tone for the chase. Jaiswal’s quick 43 off 23 balls provided early momentum before Jurel and Sooryavanshi combined for a crucial 105-run partnership to steer Rajasthan towards victory.
Sooryavanshi, reaching his half-century in just 23 balls, accelerated his innings further by hitting consecutive sixes off Prince Yadav and Mayank Yadav, setting Rajasthan on the path to victory. Despite his dismissal to Mohsin Khan, Rajasthan had already done enough damage to secure the win.
Lucknow, placed at the bottom of the table and already out of the playoff contention along with Mumbai Indians, had a strong start with Josh Inglis scoring 60 off 29 balls and forming a 109-run opening partnership with Marsh. Although Inglis and Nicholas Pooran fell, Marsh continued his aggressive innings alongside skipper Rishabh Pant, who contributed 35 runs.
However, Rajasthan’s bowlers managed to pull back the game in the final overs, and Marsh fell short of a century after being run out on the penultimate ball of the innings.
