Vaibhav Sooryavanshi stuns LSG in a must-win clash as Mitchell Marsh’s 96 goes in vain

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continued his evening ritual of leaving spectators spellbound with a breathtaking 38-ball 93 as Rajasthan Royals moved closer to a playoff berth with a one-sided seven-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants in an IPL match here on Tuesday.

Teenage sensation lights up Jaipur again

The 15-year-old, who is all set to board the flight to Dublin with the Indian senior team next month, was once again unstoppable, clobbering 10 sixes in an extraordinary display of bat speed and razor-sharp hand-eye coordination.

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By the time he missed out on his third IPL century by a mere seven runs, he had already ensured Rajasthan Royals comfortably chased down the massive 221-run target set by Lucknow Super Giants after Mitchell Marsh’s explosive innings earlier in the evening.

And perhaps the perfect summary of his innings came from commentator Ian Bishop, who simply said on air: “He is ready.”

Royals stay alive in playoff race

With this dominant win, Rajasthan Royals moved to 14 points and kept their playoff hopes alive. They now need a victory against Mumbai Indians in their final league game to secure a place in the playoffs.

The chase looked challenging at the halfway stage after LSG posted 220/5, but Sooryavanshi completely changed the momentum with his fearless batting.

Vaibhav punishes both good and bad bowling

If Mitchell Marsh powered LSG with brute force earlier in the night, Sooryavanshi’s innings was built on pure skill, timing and confidence.

The teenager treated quality deliveries with the same aggression as loose balls. Whether it was pace or spin, he attacked everything with authority and regularly cleared the ropes with ease.

A leg-spinner’s slider angled into him was effortlessly launched into the extra-cover stands, while short balls and fuller deliveries disappeared equally quickly.

He is now on 53 sixes this season and is rapidly closing in on Chris Gayle’s all-time IPL record of 59 sixes in a single season set in 2012. The youngster also needs just 26 more runs to complete 600 runs this season.

Mayank Yadav, Prince Yadav struggle badly

LSG bowlers had no answers once Sooryavanshi settled in. Mayank Yadav, known for his express pace, endured a nightmare spell and was smashed for 29 runs in one over.

Short balls were pulled into the stands, fuller deliveries were driven confidently, and anything outside off stump was punished mercilessly.

Prince Yadav, who received his maiden India ODI call-up earlier in the day, also had a difficult outing as Rajasthan’s batters dominated the chase.

LSG captain Rishabh Pant looked increasingly helpless as the match slipped away quickly despite his side posting a huge total.

Dhruv Jurel finishes the chase in style

While Sooryavanshi stole the spotlight, Dhruv Jurel also played an important supporting role with an unbeaten 53 off 38 balls to complete the chase comfortably for Rajasthan Royals.

The wicketkeeper-batter stayed calm after Sooryavanshi’s dismissal and ensured there were no late hiccups in the run chase.

Mitchell Marsh’s brilliant innings goes in vain

Earlier in the evening, Mitchell Marsh produced another outstanding innings for Lucknow Super Giants and once again carried their batting unit.

The Australian opener smashed 96 off 57 balls, hitting 11 fours and five sixes in a powerful knock that helped LSG reach 220/5 in 20 overs.

Marsh and Josh Inglis gave Lucknow a flying start with a 109-run opening partnership in just over eight overs. Inglis played an attacking innings of 60 off 29 deliveries, hammering seven fours and three sixes.

Nicholas Pooran contributed 16 off 11 balls, while Rishabh Pant added 35 from 23 deliveries, though he never looked fully comfortable during his stay at the crease.

For Rajasthan Royals, young leg-spinner Yash Raj Punja was the standout bowler with figures of 2/35, while Jofra Archer delivered an excellent final over to deny Marsh a well-deserved century.

Brief Scores:

Lucknow Super Giants 220/5 in 20 overs (Mitchell Marsh 96, Josh Inglis 60; Yash Raj Punja 2/35, Jofra Archer 1/39)

Rajasthan Royals won by seven wickets (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 93, Dhruv Jurel 53*)