Sooryavanshi emotional as Rajasthan Royals exit IPL 2026 despite 96-run effort

Rajasthan Royals (RR) teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi became emotional following his team’s elimination from the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the Qualifier Two stage, despite scoring a remarkable 96 runs. The 15-year-old prodigy delivered one of the finest T20 batting performances of the tournament, yet his effort was overshadowed as RR lost to Gujarat Titans (GT). Sooryavanshi’s innings of 96 from 47 balls, including eight fours and seven sixes, was a calculated knock that fell short in a high-scoring chase of 215 runs. GT, led by a century from Shubman Gill, successfully chased down the target, setting up a final against the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

Following the match, Sooryavanshi was seen deeply emotional in the dugout during the post-match presentation, receiving comfort from a support staff member. Throughout the season, Sooryavanshi produced a generational campaign, accumulating 776 runs in 16 innings at an average of 48.50 and an extraordinary strike rate of 237.50. His exploits included one century, five fifties, and 72 sixes, showcasing an unprecedented blend of consistency and power hitting in world cricket. In the preceding eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), he scored 97 runs off 29 balls, hitting 12 sixes and surpassing Chris Gayle’s 2012 IPL six-hitting record.

Sooryavanshi also reached the 1,000 IPL runs milestone faster than any other player in terms of balls faced, achieving it in 440 balls. He is the second-fastest to 1,000 runs by innings, reaching the mark in 23 innings, behind Shaun Marsh’s 21. In the match against GT, Rajasthan Royals posted 214 for six, with notable contributions from Sooryavanshi and Donovan Ferreira, who scored an unbeaten 38 off 11 balls. GT successfully surpassed the target, thanks to Shubman Gill’s 104 and a 167-run partnership with Sai Sudharsan, who scored 58.

This chase, the highest ever in IPL playoffs, surpassed last year’s record chase of 204 runs. It was also GT’s highest IPL run-chase to date.