SRH vs RR, Eliminator: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi breaks Chris Gayle’s record for most sixes in an IPL season

There is no stopping Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The 15-year-old batting prodigy broke a 14-year-old IPL record for most sixes hit in a season by former RCB opener and T20 great, Chris Gayle. Gayle, during the 2012 season, smashed 59 sixes, with Sooryavanshi already surpassing that number during the ongoing IPL 2026 Eliminator against SRH. Batting first at the New Chandigarh stadium, Sooryavanshi completed a 16-ball fifty, having already scored eight sixes inside the Powerplay. Playing his second IPL season, the left-handed opener smashed bowlers and records for fun.

Most Sixes Hit in an IPL Season –

• 65 - Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (2026)
• 59 - Chris Gayle (2012)
• 52 - Andre Russell (2019)
• 51 - Chris Gayle (2013)
• 45 - Jos Buttler (2022)

Opening alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav first smashed SRH captain Pat Cummins for an overhead six in his first over, before hitting one to Eshan Malinga in the next. However, the biggest over of the Powerplay came in next, when Sooryavanshi whacked three sixes and a four off Cummins’ second, accumulating 25 of that over.

The next over was the one when he first equalled Gayle’s tally before surpassing it, perhaps the most beautiful-looking shot. After hitting Sakib Hussain for a six off his second ball, which saw him come level with Gayle’s record (59 sixes), his next, three balls later, broke the record, creating history.

Vaibhav added one more to his tally with another one on the last ball, which also brought up his fifty in this crucial knockout. With that, Vaibhav also equalled Mr IPL, Suresh Raina’s record for the fastest IPL playoffs fifty. Raina scored a 16-ball half-century against the Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) during his famous playoff knock in the 2014 edition.

Fastest 50s in IPL knockouts/Playoffs (by balls)

• 16 - S Raina vs PBKS, Wankhede, 2014
• 16 - V Sooryavanshi vs SRH, Mullanpur, 2026*
• 17 - A Gilchrist vs DC, Centurion, 2009
• 20 - MS Dhoni vs MI, Bengaluru, 2012
• 21 - Dwayne Smith vs CSK, Delhi, 2013

Meanwhile, Vaibhav and Jaiswal added 80 runs inside the Powerplay, with the two looking unstoppable at the crease.

Vaibhav, however, departed on a brilliant 97 off 29 balls, hitting 12 maximums and five fours.