Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continued his stunning IPL 2026 campaign as he broke Chris Gayle’s record for most sixes in an Indian Premier League season during the Rajasthan Royals’ Eliminator clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi needed seven sixes to break Chris Gayle’s record and he took just 15 balls to go past the record.
The West Indian great hit 59 maximums for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru during the 2012 season.
The 15-year-old began cautiously against Pat Cummins, digging out a yorker first ball. However, the final delivery of the opening over hinted at what was to come - a clean loft straight back over Cummins’ head for six.
Never miss an update on Rajasthan Royals - get the latest articles, news, and more by clicking here!
He exploded in the third over. After driving a full delivery through the gap for four, Sooryavanshi unleashed three consecutive sixes off Cummins - one lofted straight down the ground, one upper-cut over third man and another hammered back past the bowler. By the end of just 10 balls, he had rocketed to 36.
Against Sakib Hussain, he first launched a slower ball over extra cover to equal Chris Gayle’s record for most sixes in a T20 tournament, before breaking it in the same over with another massive hit over wide long-off.
A pull over square leg in the smae over then brought up a breathtaking half-century in only 16 balls - the fastest fifty in an IPL Eliminator.
At the end of five overs, Sooryavanshi was already 59 off 19.
Back against Sakib in the seventh over, he launched another monstrous six into the second tier over fine leg.
Sooryavanshi flicked Praful Hinge over deep square leg for six to bring up RR’s 100 in the eighth over.
The fastest IPL century - Gayle’s 30-ball hundred - was suddenly within touching distance. However, trying to upper-cut another short delivery from Hinge, Sooryavanshi miscued towards the deep third. The catch was completed, ending a staggering 97 off 29 balls, featuring five fours and 12 sixes at a strike rate of 334.48.
Andre Russell, with 52 in 2016, is the only other player other than Vaibhav and Chris Gayle to have hit more than 50 sixes in a single edition.
Vaibhav’s stunning consistency throughout the season has made him one of the standout performers of IPL 2026.
The youngster had already created history earlier this season by smashing 12 sixes against Sunrisers Hyderabad during his explosive 103 off just 37 balls. It is the most sixes hit by an Indian in a single IPL match which he matched on Wednesday.
He also registered the fastest IPL century by an Indian after reaching his hundred in only 35 deliveries against Gujarat Titans last season.
Against GT earlier this month, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also became the fastest player to complete 100 sixes in T20 cricket, taking only 515 balls to achieve the landmark.
At just 15 years and 43 days old, he is also the youngest cricketer to hit 100 T20 sixes.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is RR’s leading run-scorer this season.
Most sixes by a player in an IPL season
Player | Sixes | Season |
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (RR) | 65 | 2026 |
Chris Gayle (RCB) | 59 | 2012 |
Andre Russell (KKR) | 52 | 2019 |
Chris Gayle (RCB) | 51 | 2013 |
Abhishek Sharma (SRH) | 42 | 2024 |
