Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) delivered a commanding performance to beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by 55 runs in the 67th match of IPL 2026 on Friday (May 22) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. The high-scoring contest saw SRH post a massive 255/4 after winning the toss and electing to bat first. RCB fought hard but could only manage 200/4 in their 20 overs, falling well short of the target.
This result capped a thrilling league-stage clash between two playoff-bound sides. While SRH secured a convincing win, RCB still topped the points table because of their superior net run rate.
SRH batting masterclass sets massive total
SRH got off to a flying start in the powerplay, racing to 63/1 in six overs. Abhishek Sharma set the tone with a blistering 56 off just 22 balls, smashing five sixes and four fours. His aggressive knock gave the hosts the perfect launchpad.
Ishan Kishan then took charge, anchoring the innings with a classy 79 off 46 balls (8 fours, 3 sixes). Heinrich Klaasen provided the late fireworks with 51 off 24, while Nitish Kumar Reddy chipped in with an unbeaten 29 off 12. The batting lineup looked unstoppable on a flat Hyderabad pitch.
RCB's bowlers tried everything but struggled to contain the flow. Rasikh Salam Dar picked up two wickets for 52 runs, while Suyash Sharma and Krunal Pandya claimed one each. The visitors restricted SRH in the final overs, but the damage was already done.
RCB chase stalls despite early promise
Chasing 256, RCB needed a strong start. Venkatesh Iyer gave them hope with a quick 44 off 19 balls. However, key wickets in the middle overs shifted the momentum. Captain Rajat Patidar played a fighting knock of 56 off 39, but it wasn't enough. Krunal Pandya remained unbeaten on 41 off 31, and Tim David added a quick 15 off 7.
SRH's bowlers shone under pressure. Eshan Malinga was outstanding with two wickets for 33 runs, while Sakib Hussain and Travis Head picked up one each. Pat Cummins rotated his attack smartly, keeping RCB under check throughout the death overs.
Ishan Kishan named Player of the Match
Ishan Kishan earned the well-deserved Player of the Match award for his match-defining innings.
Playoff implications
Both teams have already qualified for the IPL 2026 playoffs. SRH's big win boosted their net run rate to +0.524, but RCB held on to the top spot with a better NRR of +0.783.
