Guwahati, April 11 (NationPress) In an explosive start, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi unleashed a stunning 78 runs off just 26 balls, while wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel contributed a solid 81 off 43 balls, leading the Rajasthan Royals to a remarkable six-wicket victory over the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Match 16 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, held at the Baraspara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Friday.

Sooryavanshi initiated an aggressive assault on the RCB bowlers, effortlessly dismantling their attack with a series of bold strokes. He commenced his innings by targeting Bhuvneshwar Kumar, driving a near yorker for four and concluding the over with a spectacular shot over cover-point. The onslaught continued against Hazlewood as he struck a flurry of boundaries, demonstrating his intent to capitalize on any delivery within his reach. Even as RCB attempted to adjust their lengths, Sooryavanshi's impressive skill kept the scoreboard ticking.

Meanwhile, Yashasvi Jaiswal (13) provided some assistance before edging a cross-seam delivery, but the Royals' momentum remained unaffected. Sooryavanshi reached a remarkable half-century in just 15 balls, equaling his previous record, with back-to-back sixes—one a powerful hit over long-on and another a top-edge pull that cleared the boundary. His ability to dominate both fast and bouncy deliveries left RCB scrambling for solutions.

The assault persisted as Dhruv Jurel joined the fray, effortlessly hitting boundaries and maintaining the pressure. The Royals soared to a record 97/1 during the Power-play, their best performance in IPL history, with Abhinandan Singh's overs proving particularly costly. They continued this momentum, surpassing the 100-run mark in a mere 6.2 overs, the fastest in their IPL journey.

Krunal Pandya eventually ended Sooryavanshi's innings with a pace-up delivery that the young left-hander directed straight to Virat Kohli at deep mid-wicket after a commendable 78 off 26 balls. Shimron Hetmyer followed suit on the very next delivery, handing an easy catch to Hazlewood at short third man.

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru had a tumultuous start as Jofra Archer struck early, dismissing Phil Salt with a sharp bouncer off the very first ball. Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal countered effectively, forging a swift 45-run partnership in just 17 balls, but Rajasthan retaliated powerfully. Archer dismissed Padikkal, while Ravi Bishnoi shifted the game's momentum with two quick wickets, bowling Kohli and sending Krunal Pandya back to the pavilion. Sharp fielding from Shimron Hetmyer compounded RCB's struggles, as Jitesh Sharma fell soon after, leaving RCB reeling at 76/5 in 8.4 overs.

Romario Shepherd offered a brief counteroffensive with a rapid 22 before being dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja. Debutant Venkatesh Iyer then partnered with Rajat Patidar, shifting the game’s momentum. Patidar, who started cautiously, accelerated to a quick half-century, punctuated by several sixes, but eventually fell to Sandeep Sharma. A late flourish from Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Iyer (29 off 15) enabled RCB to finish at a respectable total of 201/8 in their 20 overs.

RCB made a brief comeback during the middle overs, stringing together tight deliveries that included wickets and dot balls, which effectively slowed down the Rajasthan Royals' scoring rate. Krunal Pandya led this effort by preventing boundaries and reducing the asking rate to around seven runs per over. He even ended a 24-ball boundary drought before Ravindra Jadeja broke the spell with a fortunate inside edge to fine leg.

However, Dhruv Jurel remained composed amid the slowdown, anchoring the chase with a well-timed innings, reaching his half-century in 25 balls. With wickets in hand and Jurel's steady performance, the Royals stayed on track despite RCB's determined efforts.

Jurel concluded the match unbeaten with an impressive 81 off 43 balls—his highest score in T20s—as the Rajasthan Royals chased down the target of 202 with two overs to spare. Despite a minor hiccup during the middle overs, Jurel and Ravindra Jadeja steadied the ship with a composed 68-run partnership off 50 balls, ensuring a comfortable victory for RR.

Summary of scores:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru 201/8 in 20 overs (Rajat Patidar 63, Virat Kohli 32; Ravi Bishnoi 2-32, Jofra Archer 2-33) lost to Rajasthan Royals 202/4 in 18 overs (Dhruv Jurel 81, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 78; Krunal Pandya 2-40, Josh Hazlewood 2-44) by six wickets.