3 min readMay 27, 2026 10:01 PM IST
Rajasthan Royals’ prodigal star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi once again left everyone in awe after he struck a 29-ball 97 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League Eliminator on Wednesday. The teenager who looked to be on course of breaking or equalling Chris Gayle’s record for the fastest IPL century, fell just short of the target when he was snapped up by Praful Hinge.
“I wasn’t really thinking about it like that, but I played that shot after looking at the fielder, and that’s why I mistimed it. If I had gone towards third man, it would have cleared easily. But I tried to hit it straight, and that’s why I missed the shot,” Sooryavanshi said in the mid-innings break.
The 15-year-old Sooryavanshi, playing in his second season of the world’s most lucrative T20 league, was just one hit away from reaching triple figures when reached 97 off 28 balls.
But he missed achieving the feat of fastest IPL century by just one hit as he, in the next ball, played an upper-cut off a short ball from Hinge which flew to R Smaran at deep third man. Sooryavanshi walked off for 97 off 29 balls after hammering 12 sixes and five boundaries.
West Indian and Royal Challengers Bengaluru legend Chris Gayle holds the record of the fastest century in IPL, off 30 balls, during his knock of 175 off 66 balls with 17 sixes and 13 fours for RCB against Pune Warriors in IPL 2013.
Coming into this clash, Sooryavanshi was six sixes behind Gayle, who had recorded 59 sixes in the 2012 edition. Sooryavanshi’s dozen hits over the ropes took him past Gayle’s record as the youngster accumulated 65 maximums in IPL 2026.
His 65 sixes was also well clear of the season’s second-best, Abhishek Sharma’s 43 maximums. Sooryavanshi had recorded the second fastest century of the IPL, off 35 balls, when he scored 101 off 38 balls (11 sixes, 7 fours) in IPL 2025 for RR against Gujarat Titans.
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The left-handed opening batter also holds the record for the third fastest IPL ton, off 36 balls, hitting 12 sixes and five fours for his 37-ball 103 against SRH earlier this season.
(With agency inputs)
