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RR vs MI IPL 2026: Rajasthan Royals' opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi on Tuesday put on an impressive show against the Mumbai Indians, hitting an explosive 14-ball 39. The 15-year-old batting prodigy stitched an 80-run stand with his opening partner, Yashashvi Jaiswal, peppering the boundary with a flurry of strokes, including nine sixes between them. Jaiswal amassed an unbeaten 32-ball 77, taking Rajasthan Royals to 150 for 3 in a rain-curtailed match, which was reduced to 11 overs at the Barsapara stadium in Guwahati.

In response, Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians fell well short of the target and were restricted to 123 for 9 in 11 overs. Under pressure to go over 13 runs an over, Mumbai's chase never really took off with their top order crumbled, leaving MI reeling at 23 for 3 in three overs. Tilak Varma (14) and Hardik Pandya (9) attempted to rebuild, but Rajasthan's bowlers maintained tight lines and struck at regular intervals to control the match.

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Following the loss, MI skipper Hardik Pandya heaped praises on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and also congratulated the 15-year-old with a special gesture. In the post-match presentation, Hardik Pandya said, "It is quite fascinating to see a 17 or a 16-year-old boy playing the way he played."

"At the same point of time, discussing so much about him in the preparation leading up to the game. So yeah, amazing to see the way he bats, the kind of fearlessness he has, the kind of shots he has. I wish him absolute good luck in the future," the MI skipper added.

RR vs MI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's Innings

After rain reduced the match to 11 overs, Mumbai won the toss and elected to bowl first. Jaiswal and Sooryavanshi opened the innings for Rajasthan and smashed Mumbai bowlers from the first ball. Jaiswal amassed 22 runs in the first over bowled by Deepak Chahar.

India star Jasprit Bumrah was called to bowl the second over, and the teen sensation Sooryavanshi matched his partner stroke for stroke, dispatching Bumrah for a six on the very first ball before following it up with another towering hit over deep square leg, with the star pacer conceding 14 runs in his first over.

Jaiswal welcomed Trent Boult (0/22 in 1) by dispatching him for three sixes, as the duo made full use of the powerplay, racing to 59 in just 3.2 overs in a start that resembled a highlight reel. Shardul Thakur bore the brunt next, conceding two sixes and a four to the rampaging Sooryavanshi before having the last laugh, with Tilak Varma pulling off a sharp catch at deep extra cover to end the youngster's explosive cameo.

RR vs MI: Hardik Pandya Flags Poor Execution Of Bowlers

Following the loss, Hardik Pandya noted the poor execution of his bowlers and said that in these 11 overs, the bowlers had to take more responsibility than bowlers. "I think we did not execute the deliveries which we were supposed to, and they played well. I think our bowlers need to take responsibility. As a bowling group, we were not at all up to the mark, and they played tremendous cricket."

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"I would not put this game on the batting. This was definitely the bowling unit which had to take responsibility. It is T20 cricket, it is about always bowling those right couple of balls. So if we had executed the right balls, yeah, we would have been in the game," he said.


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