Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], April 28 : Rajasthan Royal's Vaibhab Suryavanshi created history by becoming the youngest player to score a T20 hundred and steered his team to an easy victory over Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
Though GT set a formidable total, Rajasthan Royals made an easy target of it, romping home in just 15.5 overs to finish at 212/2.
Suryavanshi, the architect of the win, smashed scintillating knock, all in 38 deliveries with the innings laced with seven boundaries and eleven towering sixes.
Suryavanshi's blistering century came off 35 balls, making it the second-fastest in Indian Premier League (IPL) history, behind only Chris Gayle's iconic 30-ball hundred against Pune Warriors India. His fireworks, combined with Yashasvi Jaiswal's fluent 70 off 40 balls, powered Rajasthan to an opening stand of 166 runs in just 11.5 overs.
The sensational partnership ended when Suryavanshi was bowled by Prasidh Krishna, but by then the damage was done. Nitish Rana, fell quickly for four, trapped in front by Rashid Khan.
However, captain Riyan Parag ensured there were no further hiccups. He remained unbeaten on 32 off 15 balls, striking two boundaries and two sixes, as he and Jaiswal guided Rajasthan home comfortably. Jaiswal's innings, punctuated by nine boundaries and two maximums, was equally instrumental in the chase.
For Gujarat Titans, Rashid Khan was the lone bright spot with the ball, finishing with economical figures of 1/24 amidst the carnage.
Earlier, half-centuries from skipper Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler powered Gujarat Titans (GT) to 209/4 against Rajasthan Royals.
GT was off to a fine start with a 93-run stand between skipper Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan. Later, Gill put on another 74-run partnership with Jos Buttler, with both these stands laying a platform for GT to cross the 200-run mark.
After being put to bat first by the Rajasthan Royals, openers Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan got GT off to a fine start again. Both openers played risk-free cricket during the powerplay, mainly dealing in boundaries.
GT got to their 50-run mark in 5.4 overs.
At the end of their six overs in the powerplay, GT was 53/0, with Sai (26*) and Gill (25*) unbeaten.
In the seventh over, came the first six of the innings from the bat of Shubman, with him clearing the midwicket boundary with a brilliant slog-sweep on a Riyan Parag delivery.
Gill reached the fourth fifty of his season in 29 balls, with four boundaries and a six.
At the end of 10 overs, GT was 92/0, with Gill (51*) and Sudharsan (39*) unbeaten.
Maheesh Theekshana drew first blood finally, removing Sudharsan for 39 in 30 balls, with four boundaries and a six, thanks to a fine catch from Parag at long-on. GT was 93/1 in 10.2 overs.
In the 12th over, GT whacked a Sandeep Sharma delivery over midwicket, bringing up the 100-run mark in 11.4 overs.
In the 15th over, Jos Buttler looted 24 runs off Wanindu Hasaranga's over, smashing three sixes and a four. GT's score was 149/1, with Buttler (30*) and Gill (77*) unbeaten.GT reached the 150-run mark in 15.1 overs.
Theekshana managed to break up another threatening-looking partnership between Gill and Buttler, with another assist from Parag at long-off, sending Gill packing for 84 in 50 balls, with five fours and four sixes. GT was 167/2 in 16.4 overs, with the end of this 74-run stand.
In the next over, GT got another booster as Jofra Archer was whacked for a four and two sixes by Buttler and Washington Sundar, who looted 19 runs from the over.
In the penultimate over, Sandeep got the wicket of Washington Sundar for 13 in eight balls, with a six. A catch from Shimron Hetmyer, who came running from deep extra cover, ended Sundar's brief knock. GT was 193/3 in 18.4 overs.
With a huge six by Rahul Tewatia on a Jofra Archer delivery, GT brought up their 200-run mark in 19.1 overs. However, on the next ball, he fell to Archer for nine runs. GT was 202/4 in 19.2 overs.At the end of their 20 overs, GT made 209/4, with Buttler (50* in 26 balls, with three fours and four sixes) and Shahrukh Khan (5*) unbeaten.
Theekshana (2/35) was the pick of the bowlers for RR. Archer and Sandeep also got a wicket each.
Brief score: Gujarat Titans 209/4 in 20 overs (Shubman Gill 84, Jos Buttler 50; Maheesh Theekshana 2/35) vs. Rajasthan Royals 212/2 in 20 overs (Vaibhav Suryavanshi 101, Yashasvi Jaiswal 70; Rashid Khan 1/24).
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