IPL: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi stuns CSK; joins elite list with 15-ball half-century

Wonder kid Vaibhav Sooryavanshi played an impactful innings in his first IPL 2026 match as the Rajasthan Royals opener scored 52 off 17 balls against Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati on Monday.

Chasing 128, Sooryavanshi’s innings, which included four fours and five sixes, put Rajasthan in control early in the match. RR eventually won the match by eight wickets

The young batter also reached his half-century in 15 balls, making it the joint third-fastest fifty in IPL history. He now shares this record with Yusuf Pathan (Kolkata Knight Riders v Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata, May 24, 2014), Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders v Royal Challengers Bengaluru, May 7, 2017), Nicholas Pooran (Lucknow Super Giants v Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Bengaluru, April 10, 2023), and Jake Fraser-McGurk (twice — Delhi Capitals v Sunrisers Hyderabad, April 20, 2024, and Delhi Capitals v Mumbai Indians, April 27, 2024).

Only four players have recorded faster fifties in the league — Yashasvi Jaiswal, who got there in 13 balls, and KL Rahul, Pat Cummins and Romario Shepherd, who reached the mark in 14 balls.

Quickets fifty for RR in IPL (by balls)

Earlier, Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) bowling unit, led by Nandre Burger and Jofra Archer, along with Ravindra Jadeja, left Chennai Super Kings (CSK) with no answers in the first innings of their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season opener at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati.

After RR skipper Riyan Parag won the toss and elected to field on his home ground, his bowlers justified the decision immediately, dismantling the CSK top order in a ruthless display of seam bowling.

Burger, Archer, along with Ravindra Jadeja, got six wickets in total as RR bowled CSK out for just 127 runs in 19.4 overs.