RCB will qualify 1 but SRH will arrive in the playoffs as the absolute underdogs

Brief Score: Sunrisers Hyderabad (255/4 in 20 overs) beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru (200/4 in 20 overs) by 55 runs in Hyderabad. SRH vs RCB, IPL 2026: SCORECARD | MAIN DATA

Royal Challengers Bengaluru left Hyderabad with the only thing they desperately wanted from Friday night, a top-two finish and a place in Qualifier 1. But the way Sunrisers Hyderabad dismantled the defending champions at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium also left a much bigger warning for the rest of the play-off field.

RCB lost by 55 runs after conceding a brutal 255 for 4, but the margin still played mathematically in their favor as they stayed above SRH on Net Run Rate and officially secured the advantage that comes with finishing in the top two. From an IPL perspective, this advantage is huge as Qualifier 1 offers two chances to reach the final. Even if RCB lose this game, they still get another shot against the winner of the Eliminator.

Meanwhile, SRH, despite producing one of the most complete performances of the season, now look destined for a far riskier journey where one bad night can end their campaign instantly.

And yet, after what happened in Hyderabad, there is a growing feeling that the team nobody wants to face right now might actually be the Sunrisers themselves.

Because it wasn’t just another flat track batting exhibition from Hyderabad. This was SRH overwhelming RCB in every department and rediscovering the fearsome batting identity that made them one of the most dangerous sides in the competition at the start of the season.

ABHISHEK-KLAASEN SHOW WRECKS RCB

Abhishek Sharma once again set the tone for mayhem. The left-hander burst into the RCB attack with a stunning 56 off just 22 deliveries and brought up another quick-fire half-century while treating even someone as experienced as Bhuvneshwar Kumar completely disrespectful. Anything remotely tall disappeared over the infield and anything short was pulled away with brutal ease.

RCB just never managed to regain control after that opening.

Ishan Kishan then stitched the innings beautifully with a strike that perfectly balanced aggression and intelligence. His 79 off 44 balls came with the kind of rhythm SRH had hoped to see from him consistently throughout the season. He effortlessly found gaps, used pace well and repeatedly punished RCB whenever they got on his pads.

And then came Heinrich Klaasen, who once again looked like the most devastating middle-order batsman in franchise cricket.

The South African smashed 51 off just 24 balls and completely dismantled Josh Hazlewood in a wild 27-run over. At that stage, even RCB’s body language began to reflect the damage they had caused to SRH. Klaasen didn’t just attack boundaries, he made world-class bowlers look ordinary on a surface where any small mistake disappeared instantly.

Nitish Reddy’s unbeaten 29 off 12 deliveries ensured the innings ended with the same violence it started with as SRH finished with 20 boundaries and 16 sixes overall.

NOT SO BRAVE RCB RUN CHASE

To RCB’s credit, the chase did not start as a side only interested in qualifying maths.

Virat Kohli walked alongside Venkatesh Iyer in a fresh opening combination and in the first six overs the defending champions looked capable of unnerving SRH. Carrying momentum from his previous innings, Venkatesh blasted 44 off just 19 balls to help RCB cross 60 in the powerplay without losing a wicket.

But the game changed almost immediately after his expulsion.

Kohli briefly added spice with an animated exchange against Travis Head in the middleDevdutt Padikkal continued his quietly impressive season with a smooth 21, but once he fell, the chase slowly began to lose momentum.

Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya added 84 runs together, yet the partnership never caused panic inside the SRH camp. Patidar completed another half-century, but his 50 off 37 balls lacked the fearless intent that has defined his batting this season, especially in high-scoring games.

There were times when RCB increasingly seemed to mentally prioritize protecting the Net Run Rate equation and securing 1 qualification rather than risking a complete collapse in the pursuit of 256.

Even Tim David, who arrived unusually late for the shift, reflected this attitude.

Whether this was smart tournament management or over-safe thinking on the part of the defending champions is a debate RCB themselves may not care much about tonight. After all, they achieved a greater goal.

QUALIFICATION 1 SECURED, QUESTIONS REMAINING

What they cannot ignore, however, is how comprehensively they have been outmatched.

While RCB’s experienced bowling attack struggled badly with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood and Rasikh Dar Salam conceding more than 50 runs, SRH’s bowlers looked significantly sharper on the exact same batting haven. Eshan Malinga once again had a great understanding of the conditions in Hyderabad, while Pat Cummins led the charge with three wickets despite going for runs himself.

And perhaps the biggest sign of SRH’s growing confidence came after the win itself.

There were no exaggerated celebrations from the country. No wild scenes despite crushing the defending champions by 55 runs.

It almost felt like a team that believed there was more work to be done.

RCB may have secured a safer route to the IPL finals, but heading into the playoffs, Sunrisers Hyderabad suddenly look like a side capable of blowing the entire tournament wide open.

– The end

Issued by:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published on:

22 May 2026 23:55 IST

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