Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored a 15-ball half-century on Monday to set up an eight-wicket win for Rajasthan Royals over Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati in their first match of IPL 2026.
Sooryavanshi played a stunning innings in his first match of IPL 2026 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 batsman also reached his half-century in 15 balls, making it the 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 a faster fifty 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.
Fastest IPL fifty
The fastest IPL fifty still belongs to Jaiswal, who reached the mark in 13 balls during his innings of 98 not out off 47 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2023.
In that match at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, Rajasthan were chasing 150. The carnage began from the word go when Jaiswal launched a brutal assault on KKR stand-in captain Nitish Rana. He hit a long six off the first ball and followed it up with another six. He then added two fours, a two and another boundary, scoring 26 runs in the first over, which was the second most expensive over in IPL history.
He continued to score in the next over, hitting Harshit Rana for six to move to 37 off nine balls. He then attacked Shardul Thakur with boundaries through extra cover and mid-wicket.
On the next ball, he took a single towards deep square leg to reach his fifty off 13 balls. Jaiswal remained unbeaten on 98 off 47 balls, with 12 fours and five sixes, and finished the match with a six as Rajasthan completed the chase in 13.1 overs.