Mumbai, May 28: Rajasthan Royals stormed into Qualifier 2 of IPL 2026 after defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad by 47 runs in the Eliminator on Wednesday.
Chasing a massive 244-run target, Sunrisers Hyderabad were bowled out for 196 in 19.2 overs despite their powerful batting lineup. Rajasthan Royals will now face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 on Friday, with the winner advancing to the IPL 2026 final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
The match belonged to young batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and England pacer Jofra Archer, who delivered match-winning performances for Rajasthan Royals.
Sooryavanshi powers Rajasthan Royals
Batting first after being put into bat, Rajasthan Royals posted 243 for eight. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi played a sensational knock and dismantled the SRH bowling attack with fearless hitting.
The young left hander smashed 68 runs in explosive fashion and hit 12 sixes during his innings. He attacked Pat Cummins and the SRH bowlers from the beginning and reached his half century in just 16 balls.
Sooryavanshi narrowly missed breaking Chris Gayle’s record for the fastest IPL century after falling in the eighth over. He was caught at third man off Praful Hinge while trying another aggressive shot.
Despite missing the record, the youngster created history by breaking Gayle’s record for the most sixes in a single IPL season. He has now smashed 65 sixes this season.
His opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal scored 29 runs, while Dhruv Jurel added a quickfire 50 off just 21 balls to strengthen Rajasthan’s total.
At one stage, Royals looked set to cross 260 as they reached 180 for two in 13 overs. However, Sunrisers Hyderabad pulled things back in the final overs by taking five wickets for 36 runs in the last five overs.
Praful Hinge picked up three wickets for SRH, though he conceded 54 runs. SRH captain Pat Cummins endured a difficult outing and leaked 64 runs in his four overs without taking a wicket.
Archer destroys SRH top order
Sunrisers Hyderabad needed a strong start in the chase but Jofra Archer quickly ended their hopes.
The England fast bowler dismissed Abhishek Sharma with a sharp short ball before removing Ishan Kishan and Travis Head inside the powerplay.
Head’s dismissal proved crucial as his stumps were shattered while attempting to move away against Archer’s pace. SRH were reduced to 57 for four in the fifth over and never fully recovered from the collapse.
Though a few middle order batters attempted to fight back, Rajasthan Royals maintained control throughout the chase and sealed a comfortable victory.
The win keeps Rajasthan Royals’ title hopes alive as they now prepare for a crucial clash against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2.
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