One shot away: Sooryavanshi stands motionless after missed IPL century record

Teen batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi left the field heartbroken on Wednesday night despite producing one of the most destructive innings of the IPL season. The young Rajasthan Royals opener hammered 97 runs in just 29 balls during the Eliminator in Mullanpur, yet three missing runs overshadowed an unforgettable knock.

For a few minutes, the crowd at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium believed history would unfold in front of them. Sooryavanshi raced toward the fastest century in IPL history and looked unstoppable against the SunRisers Hyderabad attack led by Pat Cummins. However, the teenager lost his wicket while attempting another attacking shot and missed the landmark by the narrowest margin.

The moment stunned the stadium. Sooryavanshi stood motionless near the crease after the catch landed safely at deep third man. Fans inside the packed venue fell silent for a few seconds before applause echoed across the ground. Teammates from the Rajasthan dugout rose to acknowledge the innings, while many supporters continued recording the emotional scene on their phones.

Earlier, the innings had looked like a highlight reel from start to finish. Sooryavanshi attacked almost every bowler who entered the attack. He punished short balls, handled yorkers with confidence and repeatedly cleared the boundary with clean timing. His aggressive approach immediately shifted pressure onto Hyderabad in one of the most crucial matches of the season.

The teenager reached his fifty in only 16 deliveries and dominated the powerplay almost single-handedly. Rajasthan Royals crossed 80 runs inside six overs, with Sooryavanshi scoring the majority of them. Every over changed the atmosphere inside the stadium as fans sensed they were witnessing a special performance.

Interestingly, one of the key moments arrived against Praful Hinge, the same bowler who had dismissed Sooryavanshi during his early IPL appearance. This time, the young batter attacked him fearlessly. He smashed multiple sixes and boundaries in a single over and quickly moved into the nineties.

Then came the turning point. On 97, Sooryavanshi attempted an upper-cut shot against a short delivery while chasing the record hundred. Instead of flying over the ropes, the ball found a fielder near the boundary line. The teenager immediately realised the opportunity had slipped away.

Players from both teams walked toward him after the dismissal. Rajasthan teammate Abhishek Sharma offered encouragement near the pitch, while incoming batter Dhruv Jurel shared a brief conversation before taking strike.

Even though disappointment covered his face, the innings once again confirmed Sooryavanshi’s rise as one of the biggest young stars in the tournament. The teenager already owns two IPL centuries and continues to dominate bowling attacks with fearless stroke play. Earlier this season, he also scored 93 against Lucknow in another near-century effort.

Now, he remains firmly in the race for the Orange Cap with more than 650 runs this season and a strike rate that stands among the best in the competition.

Meanwhile, fans outside the Mullanpur stadium continued discussing the missed century long after the innings ended. Many supporters described the knock as one of the most entertaining innings of IPL 2026. Some even compared the teenager’s fearless batting style with the explosive approach that once made Chris Gayle a T20 legend.

Although the record stayed untouched, Sooryavanshi still walked away with another innings that strengthened his growing reputation across world cricket.