Indian Premier League, Guwahati
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 201-8 (20 overs): Patidar 63 (40); Bishnoi 2-32
Rajasthan Royals 202-4 (18 overs): Jurel 81* (43), Suryavanshi 78 (26)
Rajasthan Royals won by six wickets
Rajasthan Royals' teenage prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi continued his impressive form in the Indian Premier League with a rapid 15-ball fifty against the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
At just 15 years old, Suryavanshi struck eight fours and seven sixes in a commanding display of power-hitting before being dismissed for 78 runs off 26 balls, helping set up the Royals' successful chase of 202 runs with two overs remaining.
RCB's bowling lineup was strengthened by the return of Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, making his first appearance of the tournament after recovering from injury. However, both Hazlewood and India's Bhuvneshwar Kumar struggled against the young batsman during a brutal partnership of 108 runs from 37 balls alongside number three batsman Dhruv Jurel.
The duo dominated the powerplay overs, reaching 97 runs for the loss of one wicket, with Suryavanshi reaching his fifty with a six.
This was the joint third-fastest fifty in IPL history and marked the second time Suryavanshi has achieved such a feat in this season's tournament, having previously recorded a 15-ball fifty against Chennai Super Kings on 30 March.
Although he has yet to represent India at the international level, Suryavanshi is currently the tournament's leading run-scorer with 200 runs in four innings at an extraordinary strike rate of 266.6.
Following Suryavanshi's dismissal by spinner Krunal Pandya, the Royals experienced a brief setback, falling from 129-1 to 134-4. However, Jurel managed the remainder of the chase with composure, finishing unbeaten on 81 runs from 43 balls.
Key Moments and Player Performances
Earlier in the match, Jofra Archer claimed the wicket of RCB opener Phil Salt with the very first ball, beating him with pace and inducing a top edge to wicketkeeper Jurel.
Virat Kohli contributed a quick 32 runs off 16 balls, but the Royals' bowlers maintained control. Archer ended with figures of 2-33, while spinner Ravi Bishnoi took 2-32 as RCB struggled to 125-7 after 14 overs.
Captain Rajat Patidar led a resilient recovery with 63 runs from 40 balls, supported by West Indies all-rounder Romario Shepherd, who scored 22 runs from 11 balls to accelerate the innings towards the end.
Venkatesh Iyer added a crucial 29-run cameo, including 20 runs from the final over bowled by Sandeep Sharma, pushing RCB past the 200-run mark.
However, the partnership between Jurel and Suryavanshi effectively halted RCB's momentum, securing Rajasthan Royals' first victory of the season and maintaining their unbeaten status at the top of the points table.
Additional Context
"The 15-year-old Indian that cricket can no longer ignore"
"Teenager Suryavanshi flogs Bumrah in first meeting"
