Bihar CM felicitates U-19 World Cup hero Vaibhav Sooryavanshi with Rs 50 lakh cheque

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has felicitated cricketer Vaibhav Sooryavanshi with a Rs 50 lakh cheque on his return to the state after his record-breaking century helped India clinch the ICC U-19 World Cup 2026 title on February 6. The 14-year-old, hailing from Samastipur district, scored 175 runs off 80 balls at a strike rate of over 218 and was awarded both the Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards. Sooryavanshi was felicitated with the cheque and a ceremonial shawl at the ‘Sankalp Sabhagar’ in the chief minister’s official residence complex on Sunday, February 22, 2026, according to a statement by the CMO. “Through his hard work and talent, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has emerged as a new hope for Indian cricket. I wish him success in setting new milestones for the national team and bringing glory to the country,” Kumar said. He said that the young cricketer’s performance brought pride to Bihar and played an important role in India’s title triumph. Urging Sooryavanshi to continue performing well, Kumar said the state government was developing modern, world-class sports infrastructure across the state for athletes. Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, water resources minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, sports minister Shreyasi Singh, senior officials of the state government and representatives of the Bihar Cricket Association were present at the felicitation ceremony. Family members of Suryavanshi also attended the event. Meanwhile, at a separate event held in Danapur, Sooryavanshi was gifted a car by Tata Motors.