Pakistan Super League franchise owner Javed Afridi has heaped praise on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, calling him “a future superstar in the making.” Sooryavanshi has been in scintillating form during IPL 2026, and his latest statement came in Rajasthan Royals’ Eliminator triumph over Sunrisers Hyderabad, where the RR opener’s 29-ball 97 set the tone and proved decisive as the team won by 47 runs.
In that Eliminator, Sooryavanshi struck at 334.48 and finished with five boundaries and 12 maximums. His output has put him firmly at the top of the Orange Cap standings, amassing 680 runs across 15 innings at an average of 45.33, along with a strike rate of 242.85. The season has also brought him one century and four half-centuries so far.
Javed Afridi hails Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Taking to X, Afridi wrote: “Man, I’m truly blown away by 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s 97 runs of pure brilliance! The way he played total edge-of-the-seat stuff. Talent like this at such a young age is so rare & special. That’s exactly why leagues like our PSL are so important that we need to create more platforms so our Pakistan boys get the same chance to showcase their talent & light up the world just like Vaibhav. Massive respect & love, kid. You’re a future superstar in the making! Keep rising.”
In the Eliminator, Sunrisers Hyderabad attempted to keep Sooryavanshi under control right from the start, deploying yorkers from the earliest deliveries. However, the plan didn’t land as intended, and the pressure only intensified when Cummins’ field placements failed to contain the RR batter. Eventually, Sooryavanshi tried to play the field rather than simply the ball, and he ended up top-edging it to deep third, where he was caught.
After the match, Sooryavanshi said, “When we win, we just take the positive intent forward and move on to the next match. And we will try to win the next match in the same way and reach the finals.”
He added, “I do think a little bit, but not too much. I just try to play the game I’m in and not overthink. But if I feel there’s something I need to work on, then I look at that.”
Sooryavanshi further explained his approach: “I just think about who the bowlers are in the opposition team, how I can face them on this wicket, how big the boundaries are, just these kinds of things. I just try to stay positive with my intent. When I do that, the bowlers stay under pressure. So I try to continue that and dominate the game.”
