Sunrisers Hyderabad have opted to bat first against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their final league fixture of the IPL season at Hyderabad, with SRH captain Pat Cummins targeting a decisive win to break into the top two.
What SRH and RCB need from the result
Cummins said the plan is to post a challenging total in their last league game, with SRH currently third and assured of qualification for the playoffs. Their focus is on finishing inside the top two, and the equation is tightly linked to the margin of victory.
Depending on their final score, SRH could be required to win by 83 to 89 runs. If they reach that threshold, RCB—who are leading the league standings—would drop from first to third. A win for RCB, on the other hand, would see them conclude the league stage as table toppers. Gujarat Titans, placed second, have already secured a top-two spot regardless of what happens in this match.
Captain’s message and the SRH approach
At the toss, Cummins described the top-two race as a “long shot,” but insisted SRH will go all out tonight. He also noted that Hyderabad are backing the same combination they used in their previous match.
In terms of how SRH view the game, Cummins’ approach reflects a broader mindset: the result matters not just for points, but for final positioning as well. The contest also carries added pressure because RCB’s league-leading position could swing sharply based on the margin.
RCB changes and batting order for the night
RCB made one alteration to their side. Rajat Patidar returned to the XI, taking the spot of Jacob Bethell. Patidar, who also leads the team, explained that Bethell had suffered a finger injury, paving the way for the change.
On the batting front, RCB have Venkatesh Iyer pencilled in as an opener alongside Virat Kohli. On the importance of the match, Patidar stressed that points table position should not dictate standards, saying that every game demands the same level of performance.
Team line-ups and key selection notes
- The team batting first has won four of the six matches played in Hyderabad this season.
SRH bat-first XI
- 1 Abhishek Sharma
- 2 Travis Head
- 3 Ishan Kishan (wk)
- 4 Heinrich Klaasen
- 5 Salil Arora
- 6 R Smaran
- 7 Nitish Kumar Reddy
- 8 Pat Cummins (capt)
- 9 Shivang Kumar
- 10 Eshan Malinga
- 11 Sakib Hussain
Impact options: Aniket Verma, Praful Hinge, Liam Livingstone, Harsh Dubey, Harshal Patel
RCB field-first XI
- 1 Venkatesh Iyer
- 2 Virat Kohli
- 3 Devdutt Padikkal
- 4 Rajat Patidar (capt)
- 5 Jitesh Sharma (wk)
- 6 Romario Shepherd
- 7 Krunal Pandya
- 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar
- 9 Rasikh Salam
- 10 Suyash Sharma
- 11 Josh Hazlewood
Impact options: Tim David, Kanishk Chouhan, Swapnil Singh, Abhinandan Singh, Jordan Cox
