RR vs LSG: Sooryavanshi's carnage puts RR one step closer to IPL 2026 playoff spot

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi brought his A-game on the day his team needed him the most and helped them inch one step closer to the IPL 2026 playoffs. Chasing 221 against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), the Rajasthan Royals completed the target with five wickets and as many balls remaining, jumping to the fourth spot on the points table with 14 points from 13 matches. Sooryavanshi smashed a match-winning 93 off just 38 balls, including 10 sixes, with Dhruv Jurel scoring an unbeaten and impressive 53 to see his team home.

The Royals won the toss and elected to field first, with Yashasvi Jaiswal captaining his IPL franchise for the first time. Regular captain Riyan Parag missed the game due to an injury, while the hosts were also without ace all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja.

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LSG openers, Mitchell Marsh and Josh Inglis, began brilliantly, with the pair adding 104 for the first wicket inside nine overs. Nicholas Pooran and Marsh added 42 for the second wicket before captain Rishabh Pant joined the lanky Aussie in the middle, continuing the carnage. Three wickets in the last over did a wonderful job for the Royals, as LSG lost Pant (35), Marsh (96) and Ayush Badoni (0), restricting the visitors to 220 for five.

Vaibhav’s day out in Jaipur

Winless at their home venue this season, the Royals needed to turn the tables around quickly and did it in style. With Jaiswal and Vaibhav at the top, RR guaranteed a blistering start, and neither disappointed. The pair stitched a 75-run stand for the first wicket before Akash Singh accounted for the stand-in captain on 43.

It was then that Vaibhav decided to open his arms and take the attack to the opposition. Alongside Jurel, the left-handed prodigy broke LSG’s momentum with monster overs, including smashing 29 off Mayank Yadav’s third. Jurel wasn’t going to sit silent and joined the Orange Cap holder in putting LSG’s backs against the wall.

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They almost put RR closer to the winning position, but lost Sooryavanshi on 93 to Mohsin Khan. Another quick wicket slowed RR’s pace, but Jurel and Donovan Ferreira rescued them and helped them complete the run chase.

Gautam Sodhi

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