Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad will head into Friday’s clash at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad with plenty still at stake despite both teams already securing their IPL 2026 playoff spots. With the race for a top-two finish going down to the final round of league matches, both sides know a win here could significantly improve their path to the final.
Defending champions RCB currently sit at the top of the table with 18 points and the best net run rate in the competition at 1.065. A victory against SRH would guarantee them a first-place finish and secure two chances to reach the IPL final through Qualifier 1.
Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers are still mathematically in the race for the top two, but RCB remain in the strongest position heading into the final weekend.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, meanwhile, are third on the table with 16 points from 13 games. They are level on points with Gujarat Titans but trail slightly on net run rate. For SRH, the equation is simple — beat RCB convincingly and hope Chennai Super Kings defeat Gujarat Titans. If those results go their way, Pat Cummins’ side could still sneak into the top two.
RCB have once again looked like one of the most balanced teams in the tournament. Under Rajat Patidar’s leadership, they have combined aggressive batting with disciplined bowling and have found consistency at the right time of the season.
Virat Kohli has once again been the backbone of their batting line-up. The former India captain has scored 542 runs in 13 matches and continues to anchor the innings while maintaining a healthy strike rate. Devdutt Padikkal has also played several important knocks at the top, giving RCB solid starts throughout the campaign.
Their bowling attack has been equally impressive. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood have formed one of the most reliable pace combinations this season, regularly striking with the new ball and controlling games at the death. Krunal Pandya’s all-round contributions have added balance to the side, while Suyash Sharma and Romario Shepherd have chipped in with important performances.
Heading into Friday’s contest, RCB will start as slight favourites, especially considering the form they have shown over the past few weeks. But Sunrisers Hyderabad remain one of the most dangerous batting sides in the tournament when their top order clicks.
The likes of Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen are capable of taking games away inside a few overs. However, inconsistency with the bat has hurt SRH this season. After putting together a five-match winning streak, they have lost two of their last four games and will be eager to regain momentum before the playoffs begin.
One of the biggest positives for SRH has been the return of Pat Cummins, whose leadership and bowling have brought more control to the side. Young Sri Lankan pacer Eshan Malinga has also emerged as one of the discoveries of the season with his ability to deliver breakthroughs under pressure.
Historically, Sunrisers Hyderabad hold a slight edge in this rivalry with 14 wins compared to RCB’s 12 in 27 meetings. RCB, however, won the earlier meeting this season by six wickets.
The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium has produced several high-scoring contests this year and another run-fest could be on the cards on Friday. The pitch has generally favoured batters, with teams regularly crossing the 200-run mark at the venue. Weather conditions are expected to remain clear with no threat of rain, although temperatures are likely to stay in the high 30s during the match.
Squads:
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins (c), Salil Arora, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (wk), Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Ravichandran Smaran, Aniket Verma, Abhishek Sharma, RS Ambrish, Harsh Dubey, Krains Fuletra, Liam Livingstone, Kamindu Mendis, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshal Patel, Shivang Kumar, Amit Kumar, Gerald Coetzee, Praful Hinge, Dilshan Madushanka, Eshan Malinga, Sakib Hussain, Onkar Tarmale, Jaydev Unadkat, Zeeshan Ansari.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Rajat Patidar (c),Tim David, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Philip Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Jacob Bethell, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Abhinandan Singh, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam Dar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Swapnil Singh, Nuwan Thushara, Venkatesh Iyer, Jacob Duffy, Mangesh Yadav, Jordan Cox, Vicky Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra, Kanishk Chouhan, Satvik Deswal.