New Chandigarh, May 29 (IANS) Rajasthan Royals rode on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s sparkling yet mature 96, Ravindra Jadeja’s attacking 45, and Donovan Ferreira’s whirlwind 38 not out to post 214/6 in their 20 overs against Gujarat Titans in their Qualifier 2 clash of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on Friday.

On a tricky two-paced pitch with variable bounce, RR were jolted early by Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada. Jadeja provided impetus before retiring hurt with an elbow injury and returned later to make 45 off 35 balls.

Ferreira then tore into Rashid Khan in the final over, bringing 27 runs, including smashing four sixes, to hit 38 off just 11 deliveries, while Sooryavanshi’s knock, different in nature from his Eliminator knock of 97, was just as impactful as his 96 off 47 balls was studded with eight fours and seven sixes.

It also made Sooryavanshi the quickest batter to reach 1000 IPL runs and become the new holder of the record of most boundaries hit by a batter in a single edition of the IPL. The teenager reached his fifty in 31 balls – his slowest half-century in the IPL, but added 46 runs in the next 17 deliveries.

The hallmark of his knock was playing as per the situation with remarkable maturity and a range of strokes. Though he fell one hit short of a century once again, Sooryavanshi nevertheless sparkled under the lights in New Chandigarh and gave RR the edge at the halfway mark in their bid to play their third IPL final.

After electing to bat first, RR lost Yashasvi Jaiswal early to Siraj in the opening over, before Dhruv Jurel too fell cheaply to Rabada. At 9/2, Jadeja, promoted up the order, joined Sooryavanshi to steady the ship.

The left‑hander counter‑attacked, pulling Siraj for boundaries and a six, while Sooryavanshi, troubled by bouncers and not finding his usual timing, launched Rabada over the sightscreen for a 91‑metre maximum. The pair rebuilt briskly and hit boundaries well before Jadeja retired hurt due to an elbow issue.

Rashid’s introduction backfired as Riyan Parag and Sooryavanshi hammered him for 18 runs in the ninth over. Jason Holder, however, pulled things back with wickets of Parag and Dasun Shanaka in quick succession, while Jofra Archer’s cameo was brought to a stiff end by Prasidh Krishna to leave RR at 120/5.

Sooryavanshi dropped once on 46 by B Sai Sudharsan, capitalised with clean hitting. After bringing up his fifty, he accelerated with audacious strokes — with a forehand slap off Holder and a towering pull off Siraj being the standout shots.

Jadeja returned after treatment and added crucial runs, even as Sooryavanshi cleared Washington Sundar twice for sixes in the 17th over. He looked set for his second IPL hundred of this season, but mistimed the upper cut and was caught at third man off Rabada.

Ferreira then took centre stage. After taking two fours off Prasidh, he unleashed a stunning assault on Rashid in the final over – smashing four consecutive sixes, including an inside‑out loft over extra cover and a slog sweep over mid‑wicket, as his late surge lifted RR past the 210-run mark.

Brief scores:

Rajasthan Royals 214/6 in 20 overs (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 96, Ravindra Jadeja 45 not out; Jason Holder 2-27, Kagiso Rabada 2-45) against Gujarat Titans

–IANS

nr/bsk/