14-Year-Old Suryavanshi Lifts Royals to a Memorable Victory
There was a moment in Delhi when the crowd just knew they were watching something rare: a 14-year-old kid, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, stepping up under the lights and playing with the confidence of a seasoned pro. Rajasthan Royals, searching for their fourth win in a tough season, threw Suryavanshi into the deep end during their chase of 187. He didn’t just survive—he stole the show.
Chasing 187 can spook even the best teams. The first few overs were shaky for RR, and fans could almost sense déjà vu as the openers faced Chennai’s attack. But Suryavanshi wasn’t fazed. He smashed his way to 57 off just 33 balls, timing the ball sweetly, running hard, and mixing innovation with calculated risks. Each boundary sent a ripple through the stadium; every single screamed intent. When he raised his bat for fifty, his teammates knew the game had shifted.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, who opened with purpose, chipped in 36 runs and teamed up with Sanju Samson, the Royals’ captain, who anchored the innings with a steady 41. Dhruv Jurel kept his cool in the final stretch, making sure RR crossed the finish line ahead of schedule—17 balls to spare is no small thing in a chase like this.
CSK’s Batting Struggles and Royals’ Bowling Brilliance
What set up RR’s win, though, was their disciplined bowling earlier in the day. Chennai Super Kings picked a bad day to misfire. Devon Conway flashed and missed with just 10 to his name, and Urvil Patel barely got to his crease before heading back for a duck. Yudhvir Singh Charak was the tormentor, grabbing both openers in his first spell and leaving CSK reeling.
Ayush Mhatre tried to steady the ship with a gutsy 43, swinging hard when his side needed momentum. But wickets kept tumbling at the other end. Tushar Deshpande snared the dangerous Mhatre, while R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja failed to lift CSK beyond a par score, falling for 13 and 1. The late-order batters swung for the fences but only managed to drag CSK to 187/8 by the end of 20 overs.
RR’s bowling trio—Akash Madhwal, Charak, and Deshpande—kept things tight all through the innings. Whenever CSK threatened to string together a partnership, the bowlers hit back with wickets or squeezed out dot balls. That discipline was missing from CSK’s middle order, and the difference was obvious.
This match was always going to be about stepping up under pressure. For RR, that meant trusting youth and grit, and they got a sparkling reward from Suryavanshi. For CSK, the defeat could sting even more; there is little time to fix their shaky batting before their final—almost do-or-die—game against Gujarat Titans. If they don’t turn things around, last place on the points table could be theirs.
But for now, Delhi will remember how a teenager turned an IPL match into his playground and left the Super Kings on the ropes.
May, 21 2025