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Mar 31, 2026

Teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi sparks 15‑ball fifty as Rajasthan Royals clinch IPL win over Chennai

AI Summary
Fifteen‑year‑old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi blasted a 15‑ball half‑century, guiding Rajasthan Royals to a swift eight‑wicket triumph over Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, while South Africa’s Nandre Burger earned player‑of‑the‑match honors.

Just days after his 15th birthday, Rajasthan Royals’ opening batsman Vaibhav Sooryavanshi celebrated with a blistering 15‑ball fifty, steering his side to an eight‑wicket victory against Chennai Super Kings on Monday.

Following a debut‑season knock of 100 off 35 balls against Gujarat Titans last year, the teenager continued his aggressive form, reaching 52 runs from only 17 deliveries – a spell that featured five sixes and four fours. His innings, paired with a rapid 75‑run partnership alongside fellow opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, propelled Rajasthan to a target of 128 in just 12.1 overs.

"Our strategy was to dominate the powerplay and set the tone early," Sooryavanshi explained. "If the opposition had bowled better in those first overs, the match could have swung the other way, but we chose to attack from the start."

The young batter credited the backing of coach Kumar Sangakkara and the support staff for encouraging his instinctive attacking approach, noting that they urged him to read the situation and trust his game.

Rajasthan’s chase was underpinned by a disciplined bowling display. South Africa pacer Nandre Burger led the attack with figures of 2‑26 and was named player of the match. Both Jofra Archer and Ravindra Jadeja contributed two wickets each, helping restrict Chennai to 127 all out in 19.4 overs after a shaky 41‑4 start.

Looking ahead, the Royals will meet the Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Saturday, while Chennai prepares to host Punjab Kings on Friday.