Rajasthan Royals’ 15-year-old batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smashed briskly made 93 to power his side to a seven-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL on Tuesday and keep their play-off hopes alive.
Playing as an impact substitute, Sooryavanshi was the first target of Rajasthan’s chase at their home in Jaipur and he hit his third half-century of the season, making 38-ball six with seven fours and 10 sixes to win Chhaima’s run-scoring push the total of 221.
Sooryavanshi, with the help of fellow left-hander Dhruv Jurel who made an unbeaten 53, came away from a match in which Rajasthan chased down their target with five balls to spare for their seventh win from 13 matches and into fourth in the 10-team table.
They have a win against Mumbai Indians on Sunday in their final league match securing the last available play-off berth.
The tournament that will conclude on May 31 in Ahmedabad has seen the likes of defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad already making the playoffs.
Sooryavanshi Continues Red-Hot Form
Sooryavanshi’s assault overshadowed a swashbuckling 96 from Lucknow opener Mitchell Marsh as his team posted an imposing 220-5.
The T20 sensation has had incredible form in IPL 2026 so far, scoring 579 runs in 13 matches to surpass March’s score of 563 runs to take pole position in the batting standings.
Key highlights from Sooryavanshi’s season:
579 runs in 13 matches
One century this season
Strike-rate of 237.29
Third fifty in this season
At the other end, Sooryavanshi’s opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal gave them a flying start with his 23-ball 43 in their first-wicket stand of 75.
Stepping in as captain for injured Riyan Parag, left handed batter Jaiswal fell for 28 in the seventh over but Rajasthan stayed on course with Jurel and Sooryavanshi adding 105 runs.
Sooryavanshi completed his fifty in just 23 balls, finding second wind to hit Prince Yadav for two consecutive sixes before taking Mayank Yadav for another double and leaving Lucknow very much on track with a blistering 29-run haul in the 12th over.
Mohsin Khan then (2/20 in 4.0 overs) finally dismissed him, having heaved one to several deep areas, but Abdul Samad took the easy catch, although the damage had been done by then.
Lucknow’s Strong Start Goes in Vain
Lucknow, who already know they will be joining Mumbai in not making the play-offs this season and sit bottom of the table, raced off to a 109-run first-wicket partnership between Marsh (69 off 36) and fellow Australian Josh Inglis (60 off 29).
Lucknow batting highlights:
Mitchell Marsh scored 96
60 off 29 balls- Josh Inglis
Rishabh Pant added 35 runs
Inglis and then Nicholas Pooran fell, but Marsh continued to score quickly along with his captain, Rishabh Pant (35).
The Rajasthan bowlers did fight back in the death overs, with Marsh falling short of a century after being run out on the second-last ball.