Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to field first on a batting-friendly New Chandigarh surface where the average first-innings score this season has been 181, with the highest reaching 254. The decision made tactical sense — chase in a knockout to counter scoreboard pressure. But within the first three overs, Cummins’ carefully laid plans were incinerated by a 15-year-old with a bat and zero respect for reputation.

Jofra Archer opened the bowling and conceded just 9 runs in a tidy first over. Then came the third over of the innings, bowled by Cummins himself. Sooryavanshi plundered 23 runs off the over — a four followed by three consecutive sixes. The first maximum soared over long-on, the second was cut uppishly over third man, and the third was drilled straight over the bowler’s head. By the time Cummins walked back to his mark, his economy had already ballooned to 17.00 per over. The message was clear: this was not going to be a normal night.

The powerplay ended with Rajasthan Royals at 80/0 — their highest powerplay score in any playoff match, and the third-highest across all IPL eliminators. Sooryavanshi alone had faced 20 balls in the powerplay, amassing a staggering 60 of those runs. His opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal, at the other end, played an uncharacteristic supporting role, crawling to 19 off 16 balls in the first six overs while watching the teenager dismantle SRH’s best.

Sooryavanshi’s demolition job continued even after the powerplay. He took on Praful Hinge in the eighth over, smashing him for a six, a boundary, and then a no-ball that also sailed over the rope. He needed just one more hit to claim the fastest century in IPL history — Chris Gayle’s 30-ball hundred record was well within reach.

But fate intervened on the final ball of the eighth over. Hinge bowled a short ball, and Sooryavanshi attempted an uppercut. He middled it, but the ball lobbed straight to Ravichandran Smaran at deep third man. The catch was taken — and the 15-year-old walked off, visibly distraught, dragging his bat and helmet in disbelief. 97 runs off 29 balls. Five fours. Twelve sixes. A strike rate of 334.48. By that point, he had already etched his name into the IPL history books.

When Sooryavanshi was dismissed, the Royals were 125/1 in 8 overs. The platform had been set — and the records had already tumbled. The 15-year-old now holds the record for the most sixes in a single IPL season, surpassing Chris Gayle’s tally of 59 in 2012. He finished with an incredible 65 maximums for the campaign. He also recorded the highest strike rate by any batter in an IPL playoff innings (minimum 50 runs) at 334.48, and his 12 sixes in a single innings are the most by any batter in an IPL knockout match.

Perhaps the most poignant moment of the night came when SRH owner Kavya Maran, seated in the stands, was seen clapping politely but with a somber expression after Sooryavanshi’s dismissal. Even as her team claimed the prized wicket, the realization had sunk in — the 15-year-old had already taken the game away.

As Sooryavanshi’s 97 unfolded, social media erupted with disbelief and admiration. Former cricketers, analysts, and fans flooded X (formerly Twitter) with reactions to what many called “the most fearless playoff knock ever witnessed.” Here are some of the standout responses:

After Sooryavanshi’s dismissal, many expected RR’s scoring rate to dip. But Dhruv Jurel had other plans. The wicketkeeper-batter played a breathtaking cameo of his own, smashing a 21-ball 50 — his sixth fifty of the season — with five fours and three towering sixes.

Jurel first slog-swept Shivang Kumar for six, then took on Cummins in the 12th over with a scoop over short fine leg, a pulled six, and a drilled boundary off a half-volley. RR surged to 168/2 in 12 overs. He reached his fifty in just 20 balls, uppercutting Hinge over deep third for a remarkable boundary before falling on the very next ball while attempting another pull.

Captain Riyan Parag, playing through visible fitness issues, chipped in with a quick 26 off 12 balls before Hinge struck again. Donovan Ferreira (12 off 8) and Ravindra Jadeja (12* off 9) added crucial late runs as RR crossed the 240-run mark. However, the last five overs yielded only 36 runs with the loss of 5 wickets — a late fightback from SRH’s bowlers that kept the target just under 250.

After Sooryavanshi’s dismissal, RR seemed destined for 270+. But Praful Hinge, brought into the attack after being dropped earlier in the season, produced three crucial wickets — those of Jurel, Parag, and finally Sooryavanshi himself — to drag SRH back into the contest.

Hinge finished with 3/54 from his 4 overs, the best bowling figures for SRH on a night where every other bowler went at over 13 runs per over. Nitish Reddy and Shivang Kumar also picked up timely wickets as RR collapsed from 192/2 to 243/8, losing 6 wickets for just 51 runs in the last 6.1 overs. The fightback limited RR to 243 — a massive total, but perhaps 20–30 runs short of where they could have been.

Pat Cummins, who had a night to forget with the ball (0/64 in 4 overs), will need to lead from the front with the bat in the chase. The required run rate is 12.15 per over — steep, but achievable on this pitch if SRH’s top order fires.

As SRH began their chase of 244, Jofra Archer delivered immediate impact. In his very first over, he dismissed Abhishek Sharma for a duck — a short delivery that forced the left-hander into an awkward attempt, caught behind by Dhruv Jurel. In his next over, Archer struck in, removing Ishan Kishan for 33, caught at covers. Nandre Burger then dismissed Smaran Ravichandran for a duck, leaving SRH reeling at 57/4 after 4.4 overs.

The chase is now a mountain to climb for Cummins and Heinrich Klaasen. The winner will face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 at the same venue on Friday, May 29, while the losing team’s IPL 2026 campaign will come to an end.