Saturday in IPL 2026 delivered two extraordinary run-fests, with nearly 1,000 runs scored across back-to-back thrillers. Punjab Kings pulled off a record-breaking chase of 264 against Delhi Capitals, while Sunrisers Hyderabad followed it up by chasing down 229 against Rajasthan Royals with nine balls to spare. Despite individual brilliance, both KL Rahul and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ended up on the losing side.
KL Rahul’s unbeaten 152 was one of the finest innings in IPL history, but it wasn’t enough as PBKS rode on aggressive half-centuries from Prabhsimran Singh and Shreyas Iyer to complete a stunning win. Later in the evening, Sooryavanshi lit up Jaipur with a breathtaking 36-ball century, only for Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma to lead SRH’s successful chase.
Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin weighed in on Rahul’s performance, urging fans to appreciate the veteran’s evolution in T20 cricket.
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“KL has to be appreciated. It’s different when you grow up in the T20 format. Back in 2018, he played with tremendous intent, and now he has transformed himself,” Ravichandran Ashwin said. He also pointed out that Delhi Capitals’ defeat should not overshadow KL Rahul’s brilliance. “Don’t be unfair on him. Delhi yet again found a way to lose the game,” he added.
Ashwin described Rahul as a natural leader, highlighting his calm personality even in tough moments.
“He has been playing for a long time. Losing despite such an innings would hurt, but he’s a calm character,” he said. Rahul’s knock rewrote record books, becoming the highest IPL score by an Indian and the third-highest overall, behind Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum. His massive stand with Nitish Rana also ranked among the league’s best partnerships.
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Ashwin also praised the young Sooryavanshi, urging him to focus on the positives. “He’s still very young and played a spectacular knock. He should take the positives away,” Ashwin concluded.
