Sooryavanshi’s 93 anchors Rajasthan Royals’ IPL victory over Lucknow Super Giants

Rajasthan Royals maintained their momentum in the Indian Premier League on Tuesday, successfully chasing down a target of 221 to defeat Lucknow Super Giants by seven wickets. The victory, secured in 19.1 overs, keeps the Royals’ playoff aspirations intact as the tournament progresses.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was the architect of the chase, scoring 93 runs off just 38 balls. His aggressive approach began early, with 25 runs coming off the first six overs alone. Sooryavanshi’s performance moved him to second place on the all-time list for most runs scored in the powerplay during a single IPL season, accumulating 426 runs in 2026, trailing only David Warner’s record of 467 set in 2016.

The innings was built on a strong foundation laid by stand-in captain Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored 43 and shared a 75-run opening partnership with Sooryavanshi. After Jaiswal’s dismissal, Sooryavanshi added a crucial 105-run stand with Jitesh Sharma, who finished unbeaten on 53, ensuring the Royals reached their target with wickets to spare.

Lucknow Super Giants had set a competitive total of 220 for five, driven by Mitchell Marsh’s 96 off 57 balls. Marsh established a dominant 109-run opening partnership with Josh Inglis, who contributed 60 off 29 balls. Marsh later added 64 runs with skipper Rishabh Pant, who scored 35, before the Royals’ bowlers tightened the grip in the middle overs.

Sooryavanshi’s half-century celebration, an unusual hand gesture involving an inverted V with one finger across it, went viral following the match. When questioned about the gesture, the left-handed batter clarified that it was entirely spontaneous. "I don’t really plan it. There’s no meaning behind it. I just do something new every match," Sooryavanshi said, adding that he does not read newspapers or pay attention to external commentary. "This is just the start," he noted, dismissing any significance behind his actions.