Other than Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s explosive batting heroics, another Rajasthan Royals star who played a crucial role in sealing the Eliminator win was Jofra Archer, whose fiery spell inside the powerplay dismantled Sunrisers Hyderabad’s top order in the IPL 2026 knockout clash.
Archer removed Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan within his opening three overs to put SRH under immediate pressure while defending a daunting 244-run target.
Reflecting on the performance, Archer credited Rajasthan Royals’ disciplined bowling effort and commitment to their plans.
“Apart from the figures, I thought I bowled pretty alright. I think all of the guys bowled alright. We stuck to our plans, we stuck to our lengths, and we were rewarded tonight,” Archer said after the match.
The England pacer also highlighted the importance of early wickets in T20 cricket after striking in the very first over.
“Usually, the team that gets the most wickets in the powerplay usually wins the game. So it’s a lot of pressure, but I take it on, and I do my best for the team,” he added.
Rajasthan Royals are now just one win away from reaching the IPL 2026 final and will face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru already waiting in the summit clash.
Speaking about RR’s momentum heading into the business end of the tournament, Archer said the team is moving in the right direction but remains cautious of a late collapse.
“Every game at a time. I think we are at our peak, well, I don’t want to say peaking, and we’re going in the right direction at the right time. We don’t want what happened to Kings XI [PBKS] to happen to us. So I think we’re on the right path. Everyone chipping in every game, and that’s the important part,” Archer said.
Archer also praised Sooryavanshi’s sensational 97 off 29 balls, saying the teenager’s fearless batting gave the bowlers a massive advantage.
“It was very exciting. The more runs he (Sooryavanshi) scores, the more runs we have to defend. So he can go on and get 150, so it’s good for the boys when he gets a lot of runs,” he said.
RR will now take on Gujarat Titans at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh for a place in the IPL 2026 final.