Rajasthan Royals’ promising youngster Vaibhav Sooryavanshi sparked immediate concern during IPL 2026 on Saturday when he walked off the field with visible discomfort against Sunrisers Hyderabad, not long after delivering a landmark century. The 15-year-old looked to be struggling during SRH’s chase, with the incident unfolding early in the second innings as play was still finding its rhythm.
Sooryavanshi, stationed in the covers, chased a lofted shot from Ishan Kishan. He sprinted forward with intent, but then abruptly pulled up, clutching his right thigh. He was unable to move smoothly and required treatment from the team physio. After receiving attention, he was ultimately helped off the field, which quickly raised fears of a potential hamstring problem.
Initial images from the ground appeared to point towards a hamstring injury, but the situation later looked more consistent with severe cramping. With Sooryavanshi having spent a long stretch at the crease during Rajasthan’s innings, the physical strain of batting through intense conditions seemed to catch up with him, turning what looked like a muscular issue into a more cramp-related scare.
That concern came against the backdrop of an extraordinary knock earlier in the day. Before the injury moment, Sooryavanshi had taken Jaipur by storm, smashing 103 off only 37 deliveries. His innings was laced with 12 sixes and five fours, producing a strike rate of 278.38 in IPL 2026.
The century was packed with milestones. Sooryavanshi became the youngest player to reach 1,000 runs in T20 cricket, achieved the 1,000 mark in 473 balls—the fastest ever—and notched his second IPL century. In doing so, he also became the first uncapped player to score two IPL hundreds. He further underlined his explosiveness by hitting one of the quickest fifties in IPL history, taking just 15 balls to reach fifty.
Riding on that blitz, Rajasthan Royals posted a formidable 228/6. Dhruv Jurel provided steady support with a 51, while a late cameo from Donovan Ferreira helped add the finishing touches to a total that looked imposing on paper.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, however, chased it down with time to spare, sealing a five-wicket victory in 18.3 overs in a high-scoring thriller. The match was part of a frantic Saturday in IPL 2026 that also featured a dramatic outcome involving Delhi Capitals, who ended up on the losing side despite posting 264/2. Punjab Kings chased that target down in 18.5 overs, recording a new T20 benchmark for the highest successful chase in the format, reaching 264/4.
