KOLKATA — Rajasthan Royals booked their place in the IPL 2026 final on Friday after their Eliminator demolition of Sunrisers Hyderabad reverberated across Indian cricket. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the teenage sensation who has lit up this tournament, was confirmed as the official Player of the Match on Friday morning as the BCCI released full match awards and Royals management confirmed their travel arrangements for the final.

Sooryavanshi's 29-ball 97, which fell just three runs short of the fastest IPL century ever recorded, powered Rajasthan to a commanding 243/8 — a total that proved far beyond SRH's reach. Despite a spirited 68 from Ishan Kishan, Sunrisers were bowled out for 196, handing the Royals a 47-run victory and ending Hyderabad's campaign for another year.

Rajasthan head coach Rahul Dravid praised Sooryavanshi's temperament in the post-match press conference held Friday. 'What he did last night is something you rarely see at any level of cricket, let alone from a teenager in a knockout match,' Dravid said. 'This group deserves to be in the final and we intend to make the most of it.'

Attention now turns to the Qualifier 2, scheduled for Friday evening, which will determine whether Rajasthan face Mumbai Indians or Kolkata Knight Riders in the decider. Rajasthan enter as slight favourites regardless of opponent, having posted the highest team total of the knockout rounds. The IPL 2026 final is scheduled for Sunday, June 1 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

For Sunrisers Hyderabad, the exit marks a disappointing end after finishing second in the league phase. Head coach Daniel Vettori acknowledged the gulf in class on the night. 'Sooryavanshi was simply unplayable. We set a competitive target but were never in the chase,' he said, confirming the squad would return to Hyderabad on Friday before reviewing their squad ahead of next season.