IPL 2026: RCB top league phase despite defeat against SRH
What's the story
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) defended a target of 256 runs versus Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their final league match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season on Friday. The game was played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. SRH scored 255/4 in 20 overs. Ishan Kishan was the star performer, scoring an impressive 79. In response, RCB managed 200/4 and suffered a 55-run defeat. However, despite facing a defeat, RCB topped the 10-team league phase.
Stellar performance
Summary of SRH's innings
Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head added 45 runs for the opening wicket. Kishan then joined Abhishek and the two stitched a 50-plus stand. After Abhishek's dismissal, Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen shared a massive 113-run partnership for the third wicket, which proved to be a game-changer for SRH. Kishan wasn't done and alongside Nitish Reddy, he added 45 runs to push SRH.
RCB bowlers
How did RCB's bowlers fare?
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was plundered for runs. He conceded 51 runs off his 4 overs. Josh Hazlewood managed 0/55 from his 4-over spell. Rasikh Salam Dar was the pick of RCB's bowlers. He managed 2/52 from 4 overs. Suyash Sharma bowled 3 overs and clocked 1/36. Romario Shepherd clocked 0/37 from 3 overs whereas Krunal Pandya managed 1/24 from 2 overs.
Abhishek
Abhishek Sharma slams his 5th fifty-plus score of IPL 2026
SRH opener Abhishek hit a rapid knock of 56 runs off just 22 balls. Abhishek dazzled with 5 sixes and 4 fours. He struck at 254.55. Abhishek raced to 563 runs in the IPL 2026 season from 14 matches at an average of 43.30. He registered his 5th fifty-plus score. In addition to a century, he owns 4 fifties. He completed 50 fours and has hit 43 sixes.
Runs
13th IPL fifty for Abhishek
Overall in the IPL, Abhishek has amassed 2,379 runs from 91 matches at 29.73. He registered his 13th fifty (100s: 2). He now has 144 sixes (SR: 171.52). As per ESPNcricinfo, versus RCB, he has smashed 294 runs from 12 matches at 26.72 (50s: 1). Overall in the 20-over format, he has raced to 5,804 runs from 195 matches at 33.35 (50s: 36, 100s: 9).
Kishan
Ishan Kishan completes 3,500 IPL runs
Kishan crossed the milestone of 3,500 IPL runs. The southpaw achieved this feat with his 12th run. The in-form Kishan smashed a whirlwind 46-ball 79 versus RCB. Kishan hit 8 fours and 3 sixes versus RCB. As per ESPNcricinfo, he raced to 3,567 runs from 126 innings at an average of 30.48 and a strike rate of 142.85. His tally includes one century and 23 fifties.
Do you know?
Kishan surpasses 500 runs in IPL 2026
With his 10th run, Kishan went past 500 runs in the ongoing IPL season. He also surpassed 50 fours (55). Ishan now owns 555 runs from 14 games at a strike rate of 180.19. The southpaw has tallied six fifties, with his average being 42.69.
Klaasen
Heinrich Klaasen surpasses 2,000 IPL runs for Sunrisers Hyderabad
Klaasen hit a rapid knock of 51 runs off just 24 balls to continue his side's momentum. He slammed 5 sixes and 2 fours. With his 31st run of the contest, Klaasen completed the mark of 2,000 for SRH in IPL. He now owns 2,020 runs from 56 matches at 45.90. He clocked his 13th fifty (100s: 2). He became the 5th batter for SRH to get past 2,000 runs after David Warner (4,014), Shikhar Dhawan (2,518), Abhishek Sharma (2,316) and Kane Williamson (2,101).
Do you know?
602 runs in IPL 2026 for Klaasen
Klaasen now owns 602 runs in IPL 2026 from 14 games at 54.72. He smashed his 5th fifty. He became the 3rd batter to clock 600-plus runs this season after Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill. Notably, Klaasen's strike rate is 159.68.
Numbers
His overall T20 and IPL numbers
In T20s, Klaasen has amassed 6,792 runs from 290 games (267 innings). He averages 32-plus (SR: 150-plus). He slammed his 43rd fifty in the format (100s: 3). Klaasen has smoked 371 sixes in the 20-over format. In IPL, he got to 2,086 runs from 63 games at 42.57. He owns 13 fifties (100s: 2). Klaasen has hit 119 IPL sixes.
Chase
How did RCB fare with the bat?
Venkatesh Iyer shone for RCB atop, scoring a blazing 19-ball 44. He added 60 runs alongside Virat Kohli. RCB were reduced to 94/3 with SRH hitting back by dismissing Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal. Rajat Patidar and Krunal added 84 runs for the 4th wicket. Krunal remained unbeaten on 41 as Tim David smashed a 7-ball 15*. RCB scored 200/4 and fell short.
Information
Summary of SRH's bowlers
Pat Cummins clocked 0/48 from 4 overs. Eshan Malinga shone (2/33) for SRH. Shivang Kumar bowled 2 overs and gave away 32 runs. Sakib Hussain managed 1/31 from 4 overs. Harshal Patel bowled 4 overs (0/37). Reddy and Head bowled one over each with the latter claiming one wicket.
Iyer
Iyer shines in his 150th outing in 20 overs cricket
Iyer's 44 was laced with four fours and four sixes. In 67 IPL games, he owns 1,626 runs at 31.88. Iyer completed 150 fours in the tourney and got to 75 sixes. In 5 games for RCB this season (4 innings), Iyer has amassed 158 runs at 79. Overall in the 20-over format, he has scored 3,407 runs from 150 matches (133 innings) at 35.48. He has amassed 141 sixes.
Patidar
Patidar attains these feats
Patidar managed a 39-ball 56 for his side. He slammed six fours and a six. In 13 games this season, the RCB skipper owns 393 runs at 35.72. He clocked his 4th fifty of the season. Overall in 55 IPL games, Patidar went past 1,500 runs. He has 1,504 runs at 32. Patidar clocked his 13th fifty (100s: 1). He went on to reach 100 fours and 100 sixes in the IPL.
Information
Krunal shines with a defiant 41*
Krunal made sure RCB got the desired runs and confirm top place. His 41* had 5 fours. He faced 31 balls. In 14 games this season (7 innings), Krunal owns 182 runs at 45.50. Overall, he has 1,938 IPL runs at 23.34.
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Here's the points table
RCB took 1st place with 18 points from 14 games. It was their 5th defeat of the season. RCB's NRR reads +0.783. SRH confirmed third place. SRH finished with 18 points from 14 games (NRR: +0.524).
Record
Patidar attains this sixes record
As per Cricbuzz, Patidar became the 3rd-fastest to 100 IPL sixes in terms of balls faced (933). Fewest balls to reach 100 sixes in IPL: 657 - Andre Russell 884 - Nicholas Pooran 933 - Rajat Patidar* 943 - Chris Gayle 950 - Sunil Narine 992 - Shivam Dube