Hyderabad, May 23: In the 67th match of IPL 2026, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 55 runs. Despite this setback, RCB maintained its position at the top of the points table, securing a ticket to the first qualifier.
The match took place at Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium on Friday, where SRH batted first, scoring 255 runs for the loss of 4 wickets in their 20 overs. To remain in the top two of the points table, SRH needed to win by more than 90 runs. However, RCB thwarted SRH’s ambitions. In pursuit of a target of 256 runs, RCB managed to score 200 runs, losing 4 wickets in their allotted overs.
Despite the defeat, RCB has confirmed its place in the first qualifier, where they will face Gujarat Titans, who are currently second in the points table, on May 26. SRH also finished the league stage with 18 points but fell to third place due to a lower net run rate compared to RCB and Gujarat Titans. SRH will play an eliminator match on May 27, with their opponent yet to be determined.
SRH had a strong start in their innings. Head and Abhishek combined to score 45 runs in just 3.6 overs. Head was dismissed for 26 runs off 16 balls, while Abhishek scored 56 runs off just 22 balls, hitting 4 fours and 5 sixes. Ishan Kishan showcased his form with a powerful innings of 79 runs off 46 balls. Heinrich Klaasen contributed with 51 runs off 24 balls, including 2 fours and 5 sixes. In the final overs, Nitish Kumar Reddy scored an unbeaten 29 runs off 12 balls, helping SRH reach 255 runs.
RCB started their chase well. Venkatesh Iyer scored a quick 44 runs off 19 balls, partnering with Kohli for a 60-run opening stand. Virat Kohli was dismissed for 15 runs. Devdutt Padikkal added 21 runs, while captain Rajat Patidar scored a commendable 56 runs off 39 balls. Krunal Pandya contributed 41 runs off 31 balls, but Tim David’s 15 runs off 7 balls were not enough to secure a win for RCB.
Leave a Comment