RCB aim for the top spot as part of SRH showdown in Hyderabad
With qualification for the playoffs already sealed, Royal Challengers Bengaluru step onto the pitch to face Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad for their final group stage game, hoping to secure a berth in the first Qualifier. With nine wins from 13 games so far and an NRR of +1.065, RCB is mighty close to concluding the group stages in the pole position. However, a win against the Sunrisers Hyderabad will completely seal the top spot for the Men in Red and Gold.
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be entering the battlefield, hoping to pull off a double against their southern counterparts in the form of Sunrisers Hyderabad. With the playoff spot already sealed for Pat Cummins and company, they will seek revenge for the defeat RCB inflicted on them in the tournament opener.
SRH returned to winning ways with a clinical win against Chennai Super Kings in their last game as Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen combined brilliantly to take them across the finish line. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be coming to this game on the back of three consecutive wins, a streak that saw them taking down the likes of Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings.
With different players stepping up in different occasions, RCB’s depth in their side has been a major talking point. They also roped in the experienced Richard Gleeson to replace Nuwan Thushara, adding a bit more sting to their bowling attack. For the Sunrisers, their key strength lies in the strong batting unit that they come to the fray with.
With a power-packed top-order, SRH would be hopeful of inflicting some serious damage on the RCB bowling unit, but that will be d difficult task against Bhuvneshwar Kumar and co. Both the teams have enough firepower to turn this game into a full-blown war of titans.
Venue Watch
The last couple of games played in Hyderabad have produced two contrasting fates. With a fine chord of balance being prevalent between bat and ball, it would boil down to the talents of individuals to navigate the treacherous cross-currents and the shenanigans that the surface has to offer. Though there have been no traces of spongy bounce, the new ball would be meandering around quite a bit while the second half of the game might see the appearance of dew, easing things out for the batters.
Match detail:
Match: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Venue: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
Date: 22nd May, 2026
Time: 7:30 PM
Head-to-head:
Matches played: 27
RCB: 12
SRH: 14
Squads:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru:
Rajat Patidar (C), Virat Kohli, Tim David, Jacob Bethell, Romario Shepherd, Josh Hazlewood, Richard Gleeson, Devdutt Padikkal, Jitesh Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Rasikh Dar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jordan Cox, Suyash Sharma, Venkatesh Iyer, Swapnil Singh, Jacob Duffy, Kanishk Chouhan, Abhinandan Singh, Mangesh Yadav, Phil Salt, Satvik Deswal, Vicky Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra
Sunrisers Hyderabad:
Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan(w), Smaran Ravichandran, Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Pat Cummins(c), Shivang Kumar, Praful Hinge, Eshan Malinga, Sakib Hussain, Aniket Verma, Liam Livingstone, Harsh Dubey, Harshal Patel, Kamindu Mendis, Dilshan Madushanka, Gerald Coetzee, Jaydev Unadkat, Zeeshan Ansari, Krains Fuletra, Onkar Tarmale, RS Ambrish, Amit Kumar
