Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also delivers a breathtaking performance on Tuesday, May 19, after Rajasthan Royals made another stunning chase against Lucknow Super Giants in a crucial Indian Premier League 2026 clash that pitted the 15-year-old batting prodigy against the dreaded Lucknow Super Giants.
On just 38 balls, he smashed an eye-popping 93 runs to bring the Royals to a remarkable seven-wicket win while chasing a crushing target of 221, still leaving plenty to the last-minute target in their wake. RR scored five runs as they capped off the chase, keeping the playoffs hopeful in a manner reminiscent of the drama of their last gasp of the 21st century.
Sooryavanshi again proved why he is considered one of the brightest youngsters in world cricket. While he started more cautiously by his aggressive standards, including hitting 25 runs from 16 deliveries, the young hanger soon unleashed a savage counterattack that transformed the momentum of the match by a mile.
It was the last scene before, and the turning point was the ninth over. Sooryavanshi had been pounding Akash Singh, scoring 24 runs in the over along with a couple of wides. The attack swiftly forced pressure from Lucknow Super Giants and recharged the Royals' dugout.
The young hitter then teamed up brilliantly with Dhruv Jurel to take the LSG bowling attack further and hammer 29 runs off an over bowled by Mayank Yadav, effectively ending the match in favour of Rajasthan. Despite having dispatched Sooryavanshi and Lhuan-dre Pretorius within a split second, the Royals remained firmly in control with Dhruv Jurel’s composed unbeaten 53.
Donovan Ferreira also made an appearance, scoring an unbeaten 16 off only 10 balls to stylishly end the chase, in style at the last corner. In the IPL 2026 playoff race, the Rajasthan Royals won the competition big time. With the victory, RR climbed back into the top four of the points table, and the Punjab Kings were pushed out of the playoffs.
Now, Rajasthan owns 14 points from 13 matches, one point ahead of Punjab, whose washed-out match against Kolkata Knight Riders continues to dent their qualification aspiration. Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad have already placed themselves into post-qualification and are also vying to finish in the top two.
Chennai Super Kings are sixth on the table today, followed by Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders in seventh and eighth place, respectively. The rest of the teams still are mathematically alive in the playoff race. But Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s fearless batting prowess was the evening’s big, bold talking point.
He's only 15 years old at this point, the young man is still rewriting records and astounding fans with his growth and hitting power, and that knack of putting older bowlers on a run for their money on the tallest pitch there is. With the IPL playoffs looming, the Rajasthan Royals will wish their fledgling superstar could live up to a dream run and steer the franchise to a memorable season as well.
