Fans hail Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s heroic innings after near-century against GT in IPL 2026 Qualifier 2

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The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season reached a fever pitch at the Mullanpur International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on Friday. The high-stakes Qualifier 2 clash between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) delivered all the drama expected of a knockout fixture. With a spot in the grand finale on the line, fans witnessed an emotional rollercoaster anchored by one of cricket’s most exciting young prodigies. After RR chose to bat first, the electric atmosphere set the stage for an unforgettable individual performance that ultimately left the stadium in stunned, appreciative silence.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi narrowly misses century vs GT in IPL 2026 Qualifier 2

The headline of the evening belonged to Rajasthan’s teenage sensation, Vaibhav Suryavanshi. Entering the crease under immense pressure after early wickets tumbled, Suryavanshi played a heroic, counter-attacking innings that had fans and pundits in absolute awe. However, cricket can be a cruel game of margins. For the second consecutive match, the explosive left-hander agonizingly missed out on a well-deserved milestone.

The heartbreak peaked in the 18th over. Facing South African speedster Kagiso Rabada on the second ball of the 17.2 over mark, Suryavanshi attempted a signature tennis-smash against a deceptive short delivery. Unfortunately, the ball caught the toe end of the bat, launching high into the sky before settling comfortably into the hands of Prasidh Krishna at deep third.

Suryavanshi was dismissed for a magnificent 96 off just 47 balls, striking at an incredible 204.25. His breathtaking knock included 8 fours and 7 towering sixes. The stadium initially fell into a pin-drop silence as the young batter stood distraught, mirroring his previous dismissal where he fell for 97. However, the grief quickly transformed into a standing ovation, with fans hailing his immense bravery and maturity on the big stage.

RR post a formidable total against GT

Despite losing their opening partnership cheaply, with Yashasvi Jaiswal falling for 12 and Dhruv Jurel departing for 7 inside the first two overs, Suryavanshi’s masterclass completely revitalized the Rajasthan Royals’ innings. Backed by a fiercely resilient middle-order effort, RR successfully weaponized their scoring rate to post a massive total of 214/6 in their allotted 20 overs.

A crucial anchor to the innings was veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who scored a gritty, unbeaten 45 off 35 balls. Jadeja’s innings was a testament to physical endurance, as he briefly retired hurt during the eighth over but returned later to steady the ship alongside a late-order explosion from Donovan Ferreira. Ferreira played a crucial cameo, blasting a rapid 38 off just 11 balls at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 345.45, ensuring the Royals ended with massive momentum. RR’s scoring surged dramatically toward the end, racking up 76 runs in the last 5 overs alone.

On the bowling front, Gujarat Titans experienced mixed fortunes. Rabada was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with figures of 2/35 from his 4 overs, while Jason Holder provided excellent control with 2/27. However, premium spinner Rashid Khan suffered a rare, expensive outing, leaking 45 runs in just 2 overs. At the innings break, data models positioned Rajasthan Royals with a commanding win probability, leaving Shubman Gill‘s Gujarat Titans chasing a formidable target of 215 runs to secure their final berth.

Also WATCH: Vaibhav Suryavanshi plays a vintage Kohli-esque shot off Kagiso Rabada for six during GT vs RR Qualifier 2

Here’s how fans reacted:

Also READ: Vaibhav Suryavanshi opens up on Rajasthan Royals’ IPL 2026 title dream ahead of GT clash

Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: crickettimes.com

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