Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s 97, Archer’s Firepower Send Rajasthan Royals Into Qualifier 2

A sensational innings from teenage batting phenomenon Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and a fiery opening spell by Jofra Archer powered Rajasthan Royals to a dominant 47-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 Eliminator at Mullanpur on Wednesday, keeping their title hopes alive and knocking SRH out of the tournament.

With the emphatic win, Rajasthan Royals advanced to Qualifier 2 , where they will face Gujarat Titans for a place in the final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru .

The high-pressure knockout clash turned into a showcase of fearless batting by the 15-year-old Sooryavanshi, who produced one of the most destructive knocks in IPL playoff history. Opening the innings after SRH skipper Pat Cummins opted to bowl first, the left-handed batter hammered a breathtaking 97 off just 29 balls, smashing 12 sixes and five boundaries at a staggering strike rate above 330.

Sooryavanshi looked unstoppable from the outset, dismantling Hyderabad’s bowling attack with remarkable ease. He raced to his half-century in only 16 deliveries and repeatedly launched the ball into the stands, particularly targeting Cummins, who endured a difficult outing and conceded 64 runs in his four overs without taking a wicket.

The youngster narrowly missed out on breaking Chris Gayle’s record for the fastest IPL century, falling just three runs short after being dismissed by Praful Hinge in the eighth over. Despite the disappointment, the innings etched his name deeper into IPL history as he surpassed Gayle’s long-standing record for the most sixes in a single IPL season, taking his tally to an incredible 65 sixes .

While Sooryavanshi dominated the headlines, Dhruv Jurel added crucial momentum with a blistering 50 off 21 balls, while Yashasvi Jaiswal contributed 29 at the other end. Rajasthan looked set for a total well beyond 260 after reaching 180/2 in 13 overs, but Hyderabad pulled things back impressively in the death overs, picking up five wickets for 36 runs in the final five overs to restrict RR to 243/8.

Chasing a daunting 244, Sunrisers Hyderabad needed a flying start but were rocked early by Archer’s hostile pace. The England fast bowler removed dangerous opener Abhishek Sharma with a sharp short ball before dismissing Ishan Kishan and clean bowling Travis Head , reducing SRH to 57/4 inside five overs.

Although Nitish Kumar Reddy fought back with 38 and Salil Arora chipped in with 35, Hyderabad never recovered from the early collapse. Rajasthan’s bowlers maintained control throughout the chase as SRH were eventually bowled out for 196 in 19.2 overs.

Archer finished with figures of 3/58, while Nandre Burger provided solid support with two wickets to seal a memorable Rajasthan victory.

The Eliminator ultimately belonged to Sooryavanshi, whose extraordinary rise continues to redefine expectations in the IPL. At just 15, the fearless opener has become the heartbeat of Rajasthan Royals’ campaign and one of the defining stories of the 2026 season.