Sunrisers Hyderabad host table-toppers Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a high-stakes Match 67 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium tonight, with a direct ticket to finish in the top two on the line. Both the teams have already qualified for the IPL 2026 playoffs, but this encounter holds a lot of significance as the winner will significantly strengthen their chances of getting a valuable double chance in the playoffs with the Gujarat Titans. Hyderabad’s pitch is also expected to play a major role in deciding the outcome of this blockbuster clash.The two teams have faced each other 27 times in IPL history, with SRH holding a narrow lead with 14 wins to RCB’s 12 victories. Earlier this season, RCB beat a Pat Cummins-less SRH outfit by six wickets in the tournament opener on March 28, comfortably chasing 201 with 26 balls to spare.Interestingly, the toss could become a key factor this season based on Hyderabad’s trends. In the six matches played by SRH at home, they have batted first each time. Out of those six games, SRH won four and lost two. Notably, both defeats came in afternoon matches against Lucknow Supergiants and Kolkata Knight Riders, while all four victories came in evening matches where they successfully defended their total.
| Date of Match | Opposite | Match Timing | The result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 April 2026 | Lucknow Supergiants | Afternoon (3:30 PM) | LSG won by 5 wickets. |
| April 13, 2026 | Rajasthan Royals | Night (7:30 PM) | SRH won by 57 runs. |
| 18 April 2026 | Chennai Super Kings | Night (7:30 PM) | SRH won by 10 runs. |
| 21 April 2026 | Delhi Capitals | Night (7:30 PM) | SRH won by 47 runs. |
| May 3, 2026 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Afternoon (3:30 PM) | KKR won by 7 wickets. |
| May 6, 2026 | Punjab Kings | Night (7:30 PM) | SRH won by 33 runs. |
Talking about RCB’s away performances, the defending champions have enjoyed a balanced record. In six away matches, RCB have won four games, chasing two and defending two totals.
Hyderabad’s pitch will be in favor of who?
If we look at the results at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium this season, batting first seems to be the winning formula in evening matches. SRH batted first in the four night matches and successfully defended the total in all four games.The pattern shows that the pitch slows down during the chase under lights, making it difficult to score runs in the second innings. Interestingly, the only successful chase at the venue this season took place during day games. However, tonight’s clash between SRH and RCB is the match of the night, which could once again give a big advantage to the batting first.
SRH vs RCB Face to face in Hyderabad
SRH and RCB have met eight times at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, with the hosts holding a 5-3 edge, including a tied match which SRH won by super over in 2013.In terms of match results at this venue, the teams batting first have won five of the eight contests, while only two totals have been chased down successfully. A game ended in a super over victory for SRH.Interestingly, in the SRH vs RCB matches, both successful chases at this point have been achieved by RCB. SRH have only batted second against RCB once in IPL 2024 in Hyderabad, where they failed to chase down the target as RCB won by 35 runs. Overall, RCB have defended 206 against SRH at this point in 2024, chasing twice and winning once.
| The year | Winner | Match margin |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Match Tie (SRH won Super Over) |
| 2015 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Won by 6 wickets (DLS Method) |
| 2016 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Won by 15 runs. |
| 2017 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Won by 35 runs. |
| 2018 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Won by 5 runs. |
| 2019 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Won by 118 runs. |
| 2023 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Won by 8 wickets. |
| 2024 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Won by 35 runs. |
| 2025 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Won by 42 runs. |
RCB and SRH battle for remaining spot
GT’s emphatic win took them to 18 points with an NRR of +0.695, but it was still not enough to overtake table toppers RCB’s NRR. RCB take on SRH for their final league game today, and they just need to avoid a crushing defeat to maintain their top position against SRH in Hyderabad. A win would take them to 20 points and punch their ticket to Qualifier 1.However, SRH have everything to play for despite their qualification. For GT to leapfrog and even secure a spot in RCB Qualifier 1 (top-to-finish), they will need an extraordinary margin of victory against RCB.If they bat first, they will need to win by around 87-89 runs, depending on RCB’s first innings score of 180-240. If chasing, they may need to reach the target in less than 12 overs. And if that happens, RCB might also drop to the third spot and have to play an eliminator.
