VAIBHAV SOORYAVANSHI became the youngest player and the fastest by balls faced to reach 1,000 runs in Twenty20 cricket, scoring a 36-ball century in the Indian Premier League on Saturday.
The 15-year-old reached the milestone in 473 balls, the quickest in the format. He also registered his second IPL century, hitting 12 sixes and five boundaries in the innings.
The previous record was held by Australia's Mitchell Owen, who had taken 533 balls to reach 1,000 runs.
Sooryavanshi’s century was the third fastest in IPL history, behind Chris Gayle’s 30-ball hundred in 2013 and his own 35-ball century last year.
“There wasn’t much thinking... I just played according to the ball. The wicket felt good, so I backed my game," said Sooryavanshi, who hit four sixes in the first over.
"I think about which bowlers are in the opposition, what shots I can play against them... I try to visualise all of that."
The teenager, yet to make his senior debut for India, has scored two 15-ball fifties earlier this season against Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Sooryavanshi made 103 off 37 balls before getting out, helping Rajasthan Royals post 228-6.
Sunrisers Hyderabad chased down the target with nine balls to spare. Half-centuries from Ishan Kishan (74) and Abhishek Sharma (57) led the chase.
Hyderabad and Rajasthan both have 10 points and are four points ahead of Chennai in the race for the top four.
Punjab Kings lead the table with 13 points after chasing 265 against Delhi Capitals earlier in the day.
Blistering fifties from Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma helped Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Rajasthan Royals by five wickets on Saturday, despite Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s 103 off 37 balls.
Hyderabad, led by Pat Cummins, chased 229 with nine balls remaining in Jaipur.
Sooryavanshi set the innings up after Cummins won the toss and put Rajasthan in to bat. He hit four consecutive sixes in the first over and followed it with a six off the first ball he faced from Cummins.
He struck 12 sixes and five boundaries before getting out in the 14th over with Rajasthan at 170-3.
After Yashasvi Jaiswal (10) was dismissed early, Sooryavanshi was supported by Dhruv Jurel, who made 51 off 35 balls.
Donovan Ferreira added 33, but Rajasthan lost momentum after Sooryavanshi’s dismissal.
Cummins returned figures of 1-27 from four overs.
Rajasthan missed chances early in Hyderabad’s innings.
Jofra Archer removed Travis Head off the fifth ball after Jurel dropped a catch earlier in the over. Archer finished with 2-34.
Nandre Burger went wicketless in 3.3 overs and conceded 50 runs.
Kishan and Abhishek added 139 runs in 10 overs before Abhishek was out for 57. Kishan followed for 74 with the score at 166-3.
Heinrich Klaasen (29) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (36) took Hyderabad closer before Salil Arora and Aniket Verma completed the chase.
Cummins said it was a "really good win".
"Never quite sure how it'll come out first game (back)," he said.
Kishan said staying calm was key.
"Most important thing is have a good powerplay (and) I was just communicating with Abhishek, well aware of what the run rate was," he added. "We had a great partnership in the middle."
