Tears in Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's eyes after he almost missed the fastest IPL century - Watch

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Screengrab) Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi produced one of the most breathtaking innings ever seen in an IPL knockout match, but the teenager’s emotional reaction after falling three runs short of a historic century showed just how much the moment meant to him. Representing Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2026 Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Mullanpur, Sooryavanshi tore apart the SRH bowling attack with a stunning 97 off just 29 balls. The innings included a brutal onslaught of 12 sixes and took him within touching distance of surpassing Chris Gayle’s all-time record for the fastest IPL century. Gayle’s iconic 30-ball hundred for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2013 still remains the fastest in IPL history, while Sooryavanshi narrowly missed it when he was dismissed on 97. The young opener already holds the record for the fastest IPL century by an Indian batsman and also holds the second and third fastest IPL hundreds by an Indian, having reached the three figures in just 35 and 36 balls earlier in his remarkable season. But despite rewriting the record books again, the teenager looked heartbroken after missing out on what could have been one of the biggest T20 milestones ever achieved. There was visible disappointment on his face as he walked back to the pavilion, the cameras even caught signs of tears in his eyes. It was a rare emotional moment amid an innings of fearless hitting and utter dominance. Sooryavanshi’s knock also helped him clear several unprecedented landmarks during his extraordinary IPL 2026 campaign. He surpassed Gayle’s 14-year-old record of 59 sixes from the 2012 IPL season and now holds the record for most sixes in a single IPL season with 65. Most sixes in an IPL season:

65* – Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (2026)
59 – Chris Gayle (2012)

The RR opener also became the first ever teenager to score 600 runs in a T20 tournament before turning 20 and now holds the record for most runs by an open batsman in a single IPL season. Most runs by an uncapped batter in an IPL season:

680* – Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (RR, 2026)
625 – Yashasvi Jaiswal (RR, 2023)

During the knock, Sooryavanshi also equaled Suresh Raina’s legendary record for the fastest fifty in IPL playoff history, reaching the milestone in just 16 balls. His 97 is now the second highest individual score by a Rajasthan Royals batsman in the IPL playoffs, behind Jose Buttler’s unbeaten 106 against RCB in IPL 2022 Qualifier 2. For all the records and applause, however, the image that may stick with fans the longest is not one of six years in the stands, but the 15-year-old prodigy walking away devastated after coming agonizingly close to producing perhaps the greatest IPL innings ever played.