IPL 2026 | Rajasthan Royals March To Qualifier 2 After Demolishing SRH In Eliminator

Rajasthan Royals produced a batting masterclass led by teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to defeat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 47 runs in the IPL 2026 Eliminator at New Chandigarh on Tuesday. The victory kept RR’s title hopes alive after they posted a massive 243/8 and later bowled out SRH for 196 in 19.2 overs.

The evening belonged to 15-year-old Sooryavanshi, who smashed a breathtaking 97 off just 29 deliveries. The left-hander hammered five fours and 12 sixes at a staggering strike rate of 334.48, narrowly missing out on a memorable century.

RR got off to a flying start as Sooryavanshi dominated the powerplay alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. The Royals raced to 80 without loss in six overs, with the youngster bringing up his fifty in just 16 balls. The opening stand yielded 125 runs in only 7.6 overs before Praful Hinge dismissed Sooryavanshi.

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Jaiswal struggled for rhythm but still contributed 29 off 29 balls. Dhruv Jurel then maintained the momentum with a blistering 50 from 21 deliveries, smashing five boundaries and three sixes. Captain Riyan Parag chipped in with 26 off 12 balls, while Ravindra Jadeja remained unbeaten on 12 as RR crossed the 240-run mark.

For Sunrisers Hyderabad, Praful Hinge was the pick of the bowlers with 3/54, while Nitish Kumar Reddy and Eshan Malinga claimed one wicket each. Pat Cummins endured a difficult outing, conceding 64 runs in his four overs.

SRH Suffered Early

Chasing 244, SRH suffered an early collapse after Jofra Archer removed Abhishek Sharma for a duck in the opening over. Archer continued his fiery spell by dismissing Travis Head and Ishan Kishan as Hyderabad slipped to 57/4 inside five overs.

Despite the setbacks, Ishan Kishan briefly counterattacked with 33 off 11 balls, while Nitish Kumar Reddy kept SRH alive with a rapid 38 from 20 deliveries. Salil Arora also fought hard for his 35 off 21 balls, but the required rate kept climbing steadily.

Rajasthan Royals maintained control through regular breakthroughs. Ravindra Jadeja delivered a crucial spell of 2/21, while Nandre Burger and Sushant Mishra picked up two wickets apiece. Yash Raj Punja also removed Heinrich Klaasen at a key stage of the innings.

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Shivang Kumar’s 27 off 24 balls delayed the inevitable, but SRH eventually folded for 196 in 19.2 overs. Archer finished with 3/58 despite the expensive spell as Rajasthan Royals sealed a dominant victory to advance further in IPL 2026.