30 May,2026 04:40 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Irfan Pathan (Pic: File Pic)
In the IPL 2026 Qualifier 2 match against Gujarat Titans (GT), Rajasthan Royals (RR) suffered a loss by seven wickets at the Maharaja Singh PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh.
During the match, RR's swashbuckling opening batsman, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, missed his well-deserved century by just four runs. Facing 47 balls, the left-handed batsman scored 96 runs, laced with eight boundaries and seven maximums.
Speaking about missing out on his century, former Team India cricketer Irfan Pathan said that it was painful to see Sooryavanshi lose his wicket in the 90s.
"It was painful to see Vaibhav Sooryavanshi get out in the 90s once again. In the last four games, which were all must-win matches for Rajasthan Royals, he has scored over 290 runs. That is simply incredible for a player his age," he said on Star Sports.
The former cricketer then said that in the match against Titans, the left-handed batsman played responsibly and adjusted his game according to the situation.
"Against Gujarat Titans, it was special because he played completely opposite to his natural game. He is known for attacking from ball one. But here, he started slowly, anchored the innings, and then accelerated when the time was right. He took responsibility when wickets were falling at the other end. He didn't panic. He read the situation perfectly and adjusted his game. Consistent, impactful, and mature beyond his years. If he keeps this up, he will not just be a promising talent - he will be a superstar," added Pathan.
With an aim of chasing the target of 215 runs, GT scored 219 runs for the loss of three wickets in 18.4 overs.
Opening batsman Sai Sudharsan scored 58 runs in 32 balls, including eight boundaries and a maximum. Captain Shubman Gill delivered a knock of 104 runs off 53 deliveries, laced with 15 boundaries and three maximums.
Washington Sundar scored 16 runs in nine balls, including two boundaries and a maximum. Wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler scored an unbeaten nine runs in nine balls. Shouldering him was Impact Player Rahul Tewatia, who scored 17 runs in nine balls, with the help of two boundaries and a maximum.
Rajasthan's Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, and Brijesh Sharma bagged one wicket each. Impact Player Tushar Deshpande, Yash Punja, and Ravindra Jadeja went wicketless in the IPL 2026 match against Gujarat.
Having opted to bat first, RR's opening batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal departed on one run in two balls. Fellow opening batsman Vaibhav Sooryavanshi delivered a knock of 96 runs off 47 deliveries, laced with eight boundaries and seven maximums.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Dhruv Jurel scored seven runs in six balls, including a boundary. Skipper Riyan Parag scored 11 runs in six balls, which included a boundary and a maximum. Facing nine balls, Dasun Shanaka was dismissed on three runs. Jofra Archer managed to score seven runs in four balls, with the help of a maximum.
Later, Ravindra Jadeja garnered an unbeaten 45 runs in 35 balls, with the help of five boundaries and a maximum. Shouldering him was Donovan Ferreira, who scored an unbeaten 38 runs in just 11 balls, including two boundaries and four maximums. With this, the Royals posted a total of 214 runs for the loss of six wickets in 20 overs.
Gujarat's Jason Holder returned with the figures of two wickets for 27 in four overs. Kagiso Rabada also claimed two wickets by conceding 35 runs in four overs. Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna also bagged one wicket each. Washington Sundar and Rashid Khan went wicketless in the IPL 2026 match against the Royals.
