Teen sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smashed a remarkable 103 off 37 balls as Rajasthan Royals posted 228/4, but Sunrisers Hyderabad still chased it down for a five-wicket victory in Jaipur, finishing the chase with nine balls to spare. Led by Australian quick Pat Cummins, Hyderabad got a big boost from Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma, who powered the run chase after Cummins returned to the XI following a lengthy injury absence.
Rajasthan’s fireworks set up a huge chase
- Sooryavanshi arrived with the bat and instantly seized control, launching four successive sixes in the opening over to dictate terms.
- In the next over, he also struck Pat Cummins for a six off the first ball he faced, signalling that the innings would be an all-out attacking display.
- After an early setback—Yashasvi Jaiswal departing for 10—the teen was supported by Dhruv Jurel, who struck a 35-ball 51.
- South Africa batter Donovan Ferreira contributed a brisk 33, and for a while Rajasthan maintained momentum despite the loss of Jaiswal.
- Sooryavanshi’s assault continued through the middle overs, and he ultimately reached his century mark before the innings slowed; his knock ended in the 14th over with Rajasthan on 170/3.
- Once Sooryavanshi was out, Rajasthan struggled to sustain the same intensity, and the innings lacked further big contributions.
Cummins, Hyderabad’s captain and strike bowler, delivered four tight overs and finished with figures of 1/27. Even so, Rajasthan’s total proved far too commanding to defend once Hyderabad’s chase found rhythm.
Hyderabad’s response: two batters take control
- In Hyderabad’s chase, Jofra Archer struck early with a fiery first spell, removing Travis Head with the fifth ball of the innings after a dropped chance by wicketkeeper Jurel at the start of the over.
- Archer finished with 2/34 and was Rajasthan’s most effective bowler, but he received limited support as the chase accelerated.
- South Africa’s Nandre Burger struggled to make inroads as he remained wicketless in 3.3 overs and conceded 50 runs.
- Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma then seized the initiative, racing to 139 by the 10th over.
- Abhishek was dismissed for 57, and Kishan followed soon after, falling for 74 with Hyderabad on 166/3.
- Heinrich Klaasen added 29 and Nitish Kumar Reddy contributed 36, keeping Hyderabad on track for the finish.
- With the chase well under control, Salil Arora and Aniket Verma ensured Hyderabad reached the target and sealed the win.
Hyderabad’s chase ended with a comfortable margin in the end, despite Rajasthan’s brief early breakthrough through Head.
Cummins reflects on the win and Sooryavanshi’s impact
After the match, Pat Cummins described the victory as a “really good win” and an ideal way to return to competition. His previous outing had come in the third Ashes Test against England at Adelaide in December, and he admitted he wasn’t sure how things would unfold in his first game back.
Cummins also heaped praise on Rajasthan’s 15-year-old standout, calling Sooryavanshi his “new favourite player”. He noted the power in the youngster’s hitting, adding that it is a joy to watch and that a bowler has to be spot-on because the ball can go a long way when it’s struck cleanly. Cummins further spoke about how the teenager has made an excellent start to his career and how his approach takes the game forward.
