SRH outclasses RCB but fail to clinch top-two spot

Sunrisers Hyderabad maintained its now acquainted hell-for-leather template, however even a thumping 55-run victory could not stop Royal Challengers Bengaluru from topping the factors desk on the finish of their IPL league stage engagement right here on Friday (Might 22, 2026).

Abhishek Sharma’s bat-swing, Ishan Kishan’s daredevilry and Heinrich Klaasen’s brute muscularity took SRH to a meaty complete of 255 for 4.

For RCB, the first goal was to attain 166 to complete in high two and guarantee two pictures at qualifying for the IPL remaining and so they did that with ease regardless of shedding the competition by a giant margin. They completed on 200 for 4.

RCB (NRR +0.783), thus, topped the group league part with Gujarat Titans (NRR +0.695) and SRH (NRR +0.524) ending second and third respectively regardless of all three groups getting 18 factors apiece.

The chase was at all times out of query whilst Venkatesh Iyer (44 off 19 balls) supplied a stable begin. Virat Kohli (15 off 11 balls) and Devdutt Padikkal (21 off 14 balls) did not get too many.

As soon as RCB understood that they can not win the match, veterans Rajat Patidar (56 off 39 balls) and Krunal Pandya (41 not out off 31 balls) focused on the ‘Magic Determine’ of 166 with a 84-run stand.

As soon as Patidar flayed Pat Cummins over deep level for a six, RCB ensured a top-two end. He was out on the crew rating of 178, which was required to complete on high of the desk.

Amongst SRH bowlers, Eshan Malinga (2/33 in 4 overs) was as soon as once more sensible along with his lengths, whereas Bihar teenager Sakib Hussain (1/31) additionally did not let the batters get away throughout center overs.

Earlier, when SRH batted, Abhishek (56 off 22 balls) scored one other 20-ball half-century and nullified Bhuvneshwar Kumar in his first spell.

Vice-captain Kishan discovered the gaps whereas displaying each precision and cheekiness to pummel his solution to 79 off simply 44 balls.

Klaasen (51 off 24 balls), most likely essentially the most constant batter throughout groups under No. 3, actually toyed with a world-class operator like Josh Hazlewood, taking as many as 27 runs off his third over and the crew’s thirteenth, because the Orange Military ensured that they might cross the 250-run mark on a batting featherbed.

The mayhem was began by Abhishek when he elegantly lofted a Bhuvneshwar supply over large of long-off to get his first six. Bhuvneshwar, who discovered a second wind on this IPL, wasn’t allowed to calm down as he flicked him twice — as soon as over square-leg after which over deep mid-wicket off back-to-back deliveries.

Romario Shepherd’s pleasant, occasional medium tempo wasn’t suppose to bother the world’s No. 1 ranked T20 batter, and it did not. He was lofted for a few straight sixes whereas Suyash Sharma’s supply was additionally despatched hovering into the orbit with minimal footwork.

Whereas Kishan dropped anchor at one finish whereas exhibiting consistency that one expects from a expertise like him, no phrases of reward can be sufficient for Klaasen, who does not play worldwide cricket anymore however stays essentially the most wanted gun for rent within the franchise universe.

In case of Kishan, RCB bowlers had been responsible of bowling into his pads, permitting him to likelihood his arms freely whereas Klaasen was neither disturbed by straight strains nor perturbed by the large strains bowled at him.

The style during which he hammered Hazlewood was ok to dismantle the technique of Rajat Patidar whereas Nitish Reddy supplied a remaining flourish with a 12-ball 29 not out. In all, SRH batters hit 20 boundaries and 16 sixes.