The Wankhede Stadium has witnessed countless legendary innings, but the 41st match of IPL 2026 between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Sunday, will be etched in history for one name: Ryan Rickelton. In a high-octane clash that saw boundaries raining down on the Mumbai skyline, Rickelton produced a masterclass in power-hitting, leaving the SRH bowling attack shell-shocked and the home fans in a state of absolute delirium.
Ryan Rickelton lights up IPL 2026 with a record-shattering hundred against SRH
The atmosphere was electric from the first ball, but the real magic happened in the 15th over. On the final delivery of the 14th over, Nitish Kumar Reddy steamed in, only for Rickelton to calmly work a slower short ball toward the on-side for a single. As he crossed the crease, the South African sensation leaped into the humid Mumbai air, punching the sky in a moment of pure euphoria. He had just reached a hundred to savour, the fastest century by a Mumbai Indians batter in IPL history.
Rickelton’s innings was a blend of calculated aggression and surgical precision. Finishing on an unbeaten 123 off just 55 deliveries, his knock featured 11 towering sixes and 8 crisp boundaries. He reached his fifty in a mere 23 balls, but it was his acceleration afterward that truly destroyed SRH’s morale. Whether it was the raw pace of Pat Cummins or the spin of Harsh Dubey, Rickelton had an answer for everything, maintaining a staggering strike rate of 223.63. This wasn’t just a hundred; it was a statement of intent in the race for the playoffs.
Here’s how fans reacted:
What 💯 by Ryan Rickelton 👏
What’s up with Mumbai’s batters when they make a come back they want to score 100. First Quinton, Now Rickelton.
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) April 29, 2026
MAIDEN IPL HUNDRED FOR RYAN RICKELTON 👑
– A must win game, Mumbai Indians under huge pressure then Ryan Rickelton stands tall, a knock to remember in MI history. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/yEyhAJ7idO
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) April 29, 2026
HUNDRED BY RYAN RICKELTON. 💯
– An absolute show put on by Rickelton at the Wankhede, century in just 44 balls. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/BKdp3YuiWJ
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 29, 2026
Ryan Rickelton brings up his 23 ball fifty 🔥
Smashed a six to bring up his fifty, he is smashing SRH bowlers all over the ground 🥶#MIvsSRH #SRHvsMI#IPL2026 pic.twitter.com/hPZxohxOwM
— Yash X (@SANDEEPMH07) April 29, 2026
Ryan Rickleton didn’t even know today that he will get to play tonight’s game & after unfortunate injury to QDK, he just didn’t get to play but also scored a huge 100 in front of his family❤️👏🏻 pic.twitter.com/KjYQTkbOZA
— Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) April 29, 2026
FASTEST HUNDREDS FOR MI:
Ryan Rickelton: 44 balls vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Wankhede, 2026
Sanath Jayasuriya: 45 balls vs Chennai Super Kings, Wankhede, 2008
Tilak Varma: 45 balls vs Gujarat Titans, Ahmedabad, 2026 pic.twitter.com/Psq9JqKQFb
— MK Sharma ✍️ (@EmediaManoj) April 29, 2026
Rohit Sharma watching Ryan Rickelton hitting century with 200+ strike rate.#MIvsSRH pic.twitter.com/J5Om8yWiqI
— Anonymous☃️ (@inceptiionnn) April 29, 2026
The celebration by Ryan Rickelton. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/A76hcW01Dc
— Sourabh Meena 💛 (@sourabhhh_meena) April 29, 2026
Ryan Rickelton under massive pressure in a must-win game and delivers a maiden IPL ton like a boss. This one’s going straight into MI history books! Well played, Rickey! #IPL2026 https://t.co/dpgjlnaLdh
— Ashu Patel (@Al0neBoy8) April 29, 2026
🚨 HISTORY FOR RYAN RICKELTON 🚨
Ryan Rickelton smashed fastest hundred for Mumbai Indians in IPL history.pic.twitter.com/V5VRs5heY5
— Maina Singh (@Maina_Singhx77) April 29, 2026
Ryan RickelTON 💯🔥#MIvSRH #IPL2026 #TATAIPL #Cricket #CricketFever #CricketTwitter #RyalRickelton pic.twitter.com/WNldhoXT5R
— 𝙸𝙽𝚂 𝚅𝙸𝚁𝙰𝚃 🐐 (@RINKUSINGH42465) April 29, 2026
Mumbai Indians set a daunting target for Sunrisers Hyderabad to chase
Choosing to bat first proved to be a masterstroke for Hardik Pandya’s men. The foundation was laid by a blistering opening stand between Rickelton and Will Jacks, who hammered 46 off 22 balls. The pair brought up the team’s 50 in just 4.1 overs, setting a tempo that never slowed down. By the time the Powerplay concluded, MI had already raced to 78/0.
Despite losing Jacks and Suryakumar Yadav (5) in quick succession, the momentum remained with the hosts. Naman Dhir contributed a steady 22, but the real fireworks returned when skipper Pandya joined Rickelton. Pandya’s cameo of 31 from 15 balls ensured that the pressure never eased on the Hyderabad bowlers.
The scorecard told a grim story for the SRH bowling unit. While Eshan Malinga showed some control with figures of 1/29, others like Praful Hinge (2/54) and Dubey (0/50) bore the brunt of the Rickelton storm. MI finished their 20 overs at a massive 243/5, scoring at a current run rate of 12.15. Wankhede faithful are already sensing a dominant victory, leaving SRH needing a record-breaking miracle to chase down the target.
