IPL 2026: Vaibhav Suryavanshi Achieves Remarkable Feat, Equals Decade-old Record
Rajasthan Royals (RR) young opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi took the IPL 2026 by storm on Wednesday
New Chandigarh: Rajasthan Royals (RR) young opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi took the IPL 2026 by storm on Wednesday. He ruthlessly dismantled the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) bowlers at the Mullanpur stadium, leaving everyone spellbound. He narrowly missed out on scoring the fastest century in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He played a blistering innings of 97 runs off just 29 balls, powered by 6 fours and 12 sixes.
The 15-year-old Suryavanshi was dismissed by Prafull Hinge on the final ball of the eighth over, caught by Smaran Ravichandran. Hinge claimed Suryavanshi's wicket after conceding 29 runs in that very over. The record for the fastest century in the IPL is held by Chris Gayle; he reached the three-figure mark in 30 balls while playing for RCB against Pune Warriors in 2013. Although Suryavanshi missed his century, he still achieved a remarkable feat.
Why is Suryavanshi's feat significant?
Suryavanshi completed his half-century in just 16 balls during the Eliminator match. This stands as the joint-fastest fifty in the history of IPL knockout/playoff matches. It has been 12 years since a player last achieved the feat of scoring a half-century in just 16 balls during the playoffs. Before Suryavanshi, this milestone was achieved by former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batsman Suresh Raina. In Qualifier 2 of IPL 2014, Raina scored 87 runs off 25 balls against Kings XI Punjab, an innings that included 12 fours and 6 sixes. Following him on this list is the legendary former Australian wicketkeeper-batsman, Adam Gilchrist. Gilchrist scored a fifty in 17 balls against Delhi during the IPL 2009 knockout stage.
What are Fastest Fifties in IPL Knockouts/Playoffs?
16 - Suresh Raina vs Kings XI Punjab, Wankhede, 2014
16 - Vaibhav Suryavanshi vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mullanpur, 2026*
17 - Adam Gilchrist vs Delhi Daredevils, Centurion, 2009
20 - MS Dhoni vs Mumbai Indians, Bengaluru, 2012
21 - Dwayne Smith vs Chennai Super Kings, Delhi, 2013
21 - Virender Sehwag vs Chennai Super Kings, Wankhede, 2014
21 - Rajat Patidar vs Gujarat Titans, Dharamsala, 2026
How many times did Suryavanshi achieve this feat?
Suryavanshi has moved to a joint-second position on the list of players with the most fifties scored in fewer than 20 balls in the IPL. He has accomplished this feat for the fifth time. Nicholas Pooran has also achieved this remarkable milestone on five occasions. Topping the list is Abhishek Sharma; the SRH opener has smashed a fifty in under 20 balls six times. Furthermore, Suryavanshi shattered a formidable record held by Chris Gayle. He has become the player with the most sixes hit in a single IPL season, having struck 65 sixes in the 19th season. The former West Indies legend, Gayle, had hit 59 sixes during the 2012 IPL season.
