Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 42 runs
On May 23, 2025, the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow was the stage for a high-octane clash between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 65th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. SRH delivered a commanding performance, securing a 23-run victory after posting a formidable 231/6, powered by Ishan Kishan’s unbeaten 94 off 48 balls, and then restricting RCB to 208/8 despite valiant efforts from Phil Salt and Virat Kohli. The match, a critical juncture for RCB’s top-two aspirations, saw SRH’s batting firepower and disciplined bowling, led by Pat Cummins, outshine RCB’s chase on a batting-friendly red-soil pitch. This article delves into the match’s key moments, standout performances, tactical brilliance, and its broader implications for both teams as they navigated the final stages of the IPL 2025 league phase.
Played under clear skies with temperatures around 30°C, the match saw RCB captain Jitesh Sharma win the toss and opt to bowl, banking on the dew factor and the venue’s history of favoring chases. However, SRH’s aggressive batting, spearheaded by Ishan Kishan, and a disciplined bowling effort led by Pat Cummins (3/28) ensured they defended 231, ending RCB’s hopes of controlling their top-two fate. SRH’s 231/6 was built on a blazing start by openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, followed by Kishan’s match-defining knock, earning him the Player of the Match award. RCB’s chase, despite a strong powerplay led by Phil Salt (62 off 32), faltered in the death overs, losing 4 wickets for 22 runs in the last 25 balls, finishing at 208/8.
The result was a significant blow to RCB, who slipped to third in the points table with their net run rate taking a hit, while SRH, already out of playoff contention, celebrated a third consecutive win to end their campaign on a high. Posts on X captured the excitement, with one user noting, “SRH’s batting was unreal, Kishan’s 94* was a masterclass! RCB’s collapse hurt their NRR big time. #IPL2025”.
SRH’s innings was a display of relentless aggression, starting with openers Travis Head (34 off 17) and Abhishek Sharma (34 off 17), who smashed 54 runs in 3.6 overs before Head fell to Romario Shepherd. The duo, known as ‘Travishek,’ set the tone with a flurry of boundaries, with Abhishek’s six off Krunal Pandya earning praise for its audacity. Ishan Kishan, batting at No. 3, took over after the early dismissals, scoring an unbeaten 94 off 48 balls, including 8 fours and 5 sixes. His knock, described by Kishan as a response to the openers’ momentum, featured exquisite cover drives and powerful lofts, particularly against Lungi Ngidi, whom he targeted for 18 runs in the 17th over.
Heinrich Klaasen (25 off 16) and Nitish Reddy (19 off 12) provided quickfire support, while Aniket Verma (13 off 8) and Abhinav Manohar (10 off 7) ensured SRH crossed 230. The innings saw 6 wickets fall, with Romario Shepherd (2/14) being RCB’s standout bowler, dismissing Head and Klaasen. Krunal Pandya (1/38) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/35) chipped in, but RCB’s death bowling struggled, conceding 66 runs in the last 5 overs. Jaydev Unadkat, reflecting on the pitch, said, “Probably one of the best wickets to bat on… true bounce and pace. We got it here in Lucknow, not Hyderabad”.
Chasing 232, RCB needed a strong start, and Phil Salt (62 off 32) and Virat Kohli (43 off 25) delivered, powering them to 80/1 in 6.6 overs. Salt’s aggressive strokeplay, including a six off Harshal Patel, and Kohli’s crisp cover drives kept RCB ahead of the required rate. However, Pat Cummins struck a double blow, dismissing Kohli and Mayank Agarwal (18 off 13) in quick succession, leaving RCB at 120/2 in 10.4 overs. Jitesh Sharma (16 off 14) and Rajat Patidar (23 off 12) tried to rebuild, but Eshan Malinga’s double strike—removing Patidar and Romario Shepherd (0 off 1) in the 15th over—triggered a collapse.
RCB lost 4 wickets for 22 runs in the final 25 balls, with Cummins (3/28), Malinga (2/37), and Harshal Patel (1/39) tightening the screws. Krunal Pandya’s hit-wicket dismissal, the second in IPL 2025, added to RCB’s woes, and Yash Dayal’s top-edged pull off Harshal sealed their fate at 208/8. Jitesh Sharma admitted, “It was 20-30 runs extra… We were rusty, the intensity wasn’t there initially”. The dew factor, expected to aid the chase, had minimal impact, as SRH’s bowlers executed yorkers and slower balls with precision.
SRH’s aggressive batting approach, as articulated by assistant coach Simon Helmot—“always be aggressive and positive but smart”—paid dividends on the red-soil pitch, which offered bounce and carry. Pat Cummins’s leadership was pivotal, with his calm demeanor and emphasis on mixing pace, as noted by Unadkat: “The message was to remain tight… execute yorkers”. Malinga’s all-round impact, including a direct-hit run-out and a caught-and-bowled, turned the game, earning praise as a game-changer.
RCB’s decision to bowl first was based on their flawless away record (6 wins in 6 before this match) and the expectation of dew, but their bowling lacked variety without Josh Hazlewood, who was nursing a shoulder injury. Key battles included Cummins vs. Kohli, where the SRH captain’s slower ball outfoxed the RCB star, and Malinga’s dismissal of Patidar, whose struggles at home (average 14.4) contrasted with his away form (strike rate 169). RCB’s death-over collapse, losing 7 wickets for 16 runs in the last 25 balls, highlighted their reliance on Salt and Kohli.
Ishan Kishan, the Player of the Match, emphasized the importance of capitalizing on the openers’ start: “When Abhishek and Head started like that, I knew we had to go over 200”. Pat Cummins lauded the team’s execution, particularly Malinga’s impact, while Jitesh Sharma acknowledged RCB’s lack of intensity: “Sometimes losing a game is a good sign… you can analyze”. RCB’s net run rate took a hit, dropping them below Punjab Kings to third, with their top-two hopes now dependent on other results and their final game against LSG on May 27.
For SRH, the win was a morale booster despite their playoff elimination. With two consecutive victories, they headed into their final match against KKR on May 25 with momentum. The performances of Kishan, Malinga, and emerging talents like Aniket Verma signaled a strong core for IPL 2026.
The Ekana Stadium’s red-soil pitch, chosen by RCB as the home team, offered true bounce and pace, unlike the black-soil deck used in SRH’s previous game against LSG. The pitch favored batsmen, with short boundaries and minimal turn, though spinners like Suyash Sharma found some grip late. The average first-innings score at Lucknow in IPL 2025 was around 185, making SRH’s 231 a formidable total. Dew was less impactful than expected, aiding SRH’s bowlers in the death overs.
The match generated significant buzz on X, with fans praising Kishan’s “scintillating 94” and SRH’s “dominant performance”. Analysts noted RCB’s death-over collapse as a critical factor, with one post stating, “RCB’s NRR dive hurts their top-two chances… SRH’s bowlers were spot on”. The result kept the playoff race tight, with fans commenting on the unpredictability of the top-two battle.
RCB, despite securing a playoff spot for the fifth time in six seasons, face challenges without Hazlewood and with Patidar’s inconsistent form. Their final league game against LSG on May 27 is a must-win to reclaim a top-two spot. SRH, buoyed by their late-season form, will look to build on their batting depth and Malinga’s emergence as a multi-dimensional talent. The retention of players like Kishan and Cummins will be crucial for 2026.
SRH’s 23-run victory over RCB was a testament to their batting prowess and bowling discipline, with Ishan Kishan’s 94* and Pat Cummins’s leadership proving decisive. Despite their playoff elimination, SRH’s late-season form, including three consecutive wins, offers hope for 2026. RCB, stung by their first away loss and a death-over collapse, must regroup for their must-win clash against LSG to secure a top-two finish. The match, filled with explosive batting and dramatic twists, underscored the IPL’s unrelenting intensity and set the stage for an exciting playoff race.
