Teenager Sooryavanshi hits 97 as Rajasthan knock out Hyderabad to stay alive in IPL

[p]Chasing ‌244, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sunrisers-hyderabad/ltywUfPr/"]Hyderabad[/a] fumbled in front of an ‌incisive [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/rajasthan-royals/S2MQPiFG/"]Rajasthan[/a] attack and were bowled out for ‌196 in 19.2 overs, ending their campaign on ‌a disappointing note at the New PCA Stadium.[/p][p]Put into bat, Sooryavanshi tore into the Hyderabad attack from ‌the outset, with the 15-year-old smashing a ⁠16-ball half-century and ‌surpassing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gayle-chris/xdogjJGD/"]Chris Gayle[/a]'s long-standing record for most sixes in ​a season.[/p][p]He has now hit 65 sixes, eclipsing Gayle's 59 in 2012.[/p][p]Opening alongside [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jaiswal-yashasvi/4WTrPc5D/"]Yashasvi ​Jaiswal[/a], Sooryavanshi drove Rajasthan's charge as the pair raced to 80 without loss in the ⁠powerplay, leaving the ​Hyderabad bowlers struggling for control.[/p][p][b]"I thought about it (the hundred) after I got out. At that time, I was just focusing on contributing as much as I can," Sooryavanshi said ‌after being named player of the match.[/b][/p][p][b]"Hundreds will come but the goal is to ensure how we win trophies."[/b][/p][embed guid="3de66630-d431-4b16-85a5-711a2a9bbe6c" url="https://x.com/rajasthanroyals/status/2059706019459305530" social-type="twitter" /][p]Sooryavanshi, the season's leading run-scorer, went on to hammer 97 off 29 balls, including five fours and 12 sixes, but fell ‌short of breaking Gayle's fastest IPL century record of 30 balls.[/p][p]Following the teen's dismissal, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jurel-dhruv/WIPHAsve/"]Dhruv Jurel[/a] (50 off 21) and captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/parag-riyan/AaxieEbG/"]Riyan Parag[/a] (26 off 12) tried to elevate the innings but Hyderabad's bowlers soon stemmed the run flow.[/p][p]They conceded just 36 runs while taking five wickets in the final five overs, though Rajasthan still posted a ‌formidable total.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kishan-ishan/vsVSOdKD/"]Ishan Kishan[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/head-travis/EiBJThAd/"]Travis Head[/a] attempted to ​set the tempo for Hyderabad, but scoreboard ‌pressure told as they slumped to 71-4 in the powerplay, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/archer-jofra/0xgJcAPF/"]Jofra Archer[/a] leading the charge.[/p][p]Archer returned figures of 3-58, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jadeja-ravindra/IVAZlTEH/"]Ravindra Jadeja[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/burger-nandre/OjtCk75e/"]Nandre Burger[/a] and Sushant Mishra took two ⁠wickets each.[/p][p]Rajasthan will ⁠play [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/gujarat-titans/WxbsgtO5/"]Gujarat[/a] Titans ‌in Qualifier Two on Friday.[/p]