Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag won the toss and chose to bowl first. The decision was a bit surprising, considering they had lost three matches in a row while chasing. Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan continued their strong form and looked set for another 100+ partnership. However, Maheesh Theekshana dismissed the Orange Cap holder for 39 runs.
It was Captain Gill who led the way, scoring 84 runs off just 50 balls, including 5 fours and 4 sixes. He received good support from former RR player Jos Buttler, who smashed 24 runs in a single over off Wanindu Hasaranga. Buttler went on to score 50 runs off just 26 balls, hitting 3 fours and 4 sixes. Once again, the top three contributed heavily, helping GT post a massive total of 210 runs.
Considering RR’s recent struggles while chasing, winning seemed almost impossible. However, what the cricket world witnessed had never happened before. Fans had already seen glimpses of Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s talent against LSG and RCB, but today, he truly announced himself. He and Jaiswal gave RR a fantastic start, scoring 87 runs in the powerplay without losing a wicket.
However, the 14-year-old wonder boy didn’t stop there. He became the youngest player ever to score an IPL fifty, breaking the record previously held by his batting partner, Jaiswal. No bowler had an answer to his explosive hitting, and GT debutant Karim Janat felt the full force, conceding 30 runs in a single over. Suryavanshi got close to a century and eventually completed it by hitting a six off Rashid Khan’s delivery.
He became the youngest player to score a century and the fastest Indian batsman to reach a hundred, breaking Yusuf Pathan’s record of 37 balls. Despite his dismissal, the match was already sealed, with RR reaching 166 runs in just 12 overs. Jaiswal’s impressive knock of 70 off 40 balls was completely overshadowed. Captain Parag finished the game in style, scoring 32 runs off 15 balls. GT slipped to third place on the points table after taking a huge hit to their net run rate.
Fans react to Rajasthan Royals finally chasing down the target against Gujarat Titans
Nobody expected the massive target of 210 to be chased so easily. However, Suryavanshi’s unbelievable century made sure RR won the match without any trouble. Some fans even labeled it as the greatest IPL century ever, while others trolled GT for their below-par bowling performance.
One fan was amazed by Suryavanshi’s century, especially because it came in just 35 balls. Another fan joked about RR’s past struggles while chasing, saying that after so much disappointment, the Royals’ openers decided to finish it themselves. Some fans also trolled the DC franchise, as they were the last team to drop out during the bidding for Suryavanshi. Here are some of the top fan reactions:
One user said that Suryavanshi’s century completely overshadowed Gill’s brilliant performance. Another called the 14-year-old’s knock “fearless.” Many fans also remembered Pathan’s century, which had held the record for 15 years. Overall, fans enjoyed the match and called it pure entertainment.