The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 reached a fever pitch at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on Wednesday. In a high-stakes, do-or-die Eliminator clash, the Rajasthan Royals (RR) squared off against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Amidst the palpable tension of knockout cricket, a young prodigy stepped up to turn a high-pressure fixture into his personal playground, effectively punching Rajasthan’s ticket to the next stage of the tournament.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi shares heartfelt reaction after Sachin Tendulkar praises his match-winning SRH knock
The story of the night belonged to RR’s teenage sensation, Vaibhav Suryavanshi. The wonderkid put on an absolute masterclass in power-hitting that left fans and cricketing pundits in awe. Impressed by his spectacular knock, even legendary cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar could not hold back his emotions and took to social media to highlight the youngster’s unique technical brilliance.
“Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s bat swing has been outstanding. What’s even more remarkable is how beautifully he clears his front foot to create room for balls aimed at his legs. This freedom allows him to play the way he does. That innings was nothing short of spectacular!” Tendulkar wrote on X.
For any aspiring cricketer, a public pat on the back from the Master Blaster is the ultimate validation. After the game, when Suryavanshi was made aware of the praise during an interview, his reaction was a mix of pure humility and uncontained joy, calling the moment an absolute ‘matter of pride.’
“It feels really good, sir. It motivates me. You just told me about it; I wasn’t even aware. And of course, everyone knows he is the God of Cricket. If he has tweeted something like that, it’s a huge deal for us that a legend like him has tweeted about us. So, of course, it is a matter of pride,” a beaming Suryavanshi said in a video uploaded to the official IPL website.
RR march into Qualifier 2 with commanding win over SRH in Eliminator clash
Driven by Suryavanshi’s historic onslaught, the Rajasthan Royals booked their spot in Qualifier 2 by completing a commanding 47-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad. Sent in to bat first, RR posted a mountain of a total, finishing on a massive 243 for 8 in their allotted 20 overs.
The foundation was laid entirely by Suryavanshi, who blasted a breathtaking 97 runs off just 29 balls, scoring at an astonishing strike rate of 334.48. He brought up his half-century in a mere 16 deliveries, launching a brutal assault that featured 5 fours and 12 towering sixes. Alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, who played a steady support role with 29 off 29 balls, the duo put together a roaring 125-run opening stand in just under 8 overs. Dhruv Jurel then kept the foot on the gas, crushing a rapid 50 off 21 balls, while captain Riyan Parag chipped in with a quickfire 26 off 12 to push the target well beyond SRH’s comfort zone. Among the Hyderabad bowlers, Praful Hinge was the pick of the lot, taking 3 wickets for 54 runs.
Chasing a daunting 244 for victory, the Sunrisers’ reply was fractured right from the start. Speedster Jofra Archer tore through the top order, dismissing explosive opener Abhishek Sharma for a duck in the very first over, before removing the dangerous Ishan Kishan for a quick 33. Despite fighting middle-order contributions from Nitish Kumar Reddy (38 off 20) and Impact Player Salil Arora (35 off 21), SRH simply could not keep up with the ballooning asking rate.
Archer finished with stellar figures of 3 for 58, heavily supported by Nandre Burger‘s tight spell of 2 for 26 and Ravindra Jadeja‘s restrictive 2 for 21. Hyderabad was eventually bowled out for 196 in 19.2 overs. Unsurprisingly, Suryavanshi was named Player of the Match, capping off a truly historic night in New Chandigarh.
