Ishan Kishan and Eshan Malinga hurt RCB’s chances of qualifying for the top two spots.

@Ishan Kishan hitting a six during his 94* run innings vs RCB IPL2025

Match Overview :

 

Thanks to the warm weather in Lucknow, Sunrisers Hyderabad won the toss and decided to bat, helping them put up a strong 231/6. RCB began the chase with confidence, but then collapsed hard, losing seven wickets over just 16 runs in the last 25 balls. Thanks to their aggressive approach, SRH won by a big margin which also made clear that RCB struggle when pressure is high, damaging their NRR and upsetting their playoff chances. 

Kishan’s Excellent Batting Leads SRH :

Ishan Kishan was the star for SRH, hitting an unbeaten 94 runs off just 48 balls to guide his team to victory. After struggling with his batting after scoring a century in the first game, Kishan got back into form, combining both attacking and calm play. With 54 runs added to his name in the last 86 runs scored by SRH, he helped the team keep the pressure up as everyone else got out. SRH started the match with a bang as Abhishek Sharma hit 34 from only 17 balls, hitting three sixes to show the team’s intent to attack from the start. Travis Head made a quick 17 from 10 balls and Heinrich Klaasen hit 24 off 13 before a missed shot led to his dismissal.

Aggressive and positive actions are stressed by SRH’s assistant coach Simon Helmot, but they will always make smart choices as well. That approach was clear as SRH made the most of a pitch that was tough, but Head and Sharma considered it the best they’d faced throughout the season. With great courage, they aimed for 230–240 runs right from the start and accomplished it through smart efforts and not stopping.

RCB’s bowling hasn’t been very effective :

Jitesh Sharma and his teammates couldn't hold back SRH’s batsmen. Romario Shepherd was the most successful with the ball, ending with 2/14 and Krunal Pandya took 1/38. But with Josh Hazlewood not available, RCB’s bowling attack struggled at times that mattered. Jimmy Neesham gave away too many runs and Suyash Sharma left two sixes for Klaasen before catching his third shot off the bat. None of the bowlers were able to respond to SRH’s rapid tactics, so Kishan was able to take charge in the final overs.

RCB’s chase started very promisingly :

RCB started the chase of 232 with an 80-run partnership between openers Phil Salt and Virat Kohli in the powerplay. Due to Salt’s 62 off 32 and Kohli’s 43 off 25, RCB kept up with the required run rate as every over included at least one boundary for the first 14 overs. Hyderabad’s aggressive batting encouraged everyone that they would win the chase. Mayank Agarwal and Jitesh Sharma only managed to score a little and the middle order couldn’t carry on the team’s advantage.

When Royal Challengers Bangalore needed 69 runs off 36 balls and had seven wickets left, most teams probably would have liked their chances of winning. Yet, the bowlers for SRH, mainly Pat Cummins and Nitish Kumar Reddy, put the match in their favor.

The Collapse:  SRH’s Bowling Heroics :

The game changed when Nitish Kumar Reddy bowled the first over without a boundary and got Mayank Agarwal out. Cummins took Salt out and Eshan Malinga sealed the victory with 2/37. By using swinging yorkers and bouncers in the last over, the duo helped bowl out 7 opposing batsmen for just 16 runs.

Harshal Patel ended the match in the last over by having Yash Dayal miscue a slower bouncer which Aniket Verma caught at deep square leg. Royal Challengers’ late-order difficulties were clear from Dayal’s 3 off 6, as Tim David’s injury meant he could only make 1 off 5. Cummins’ bowling showed how to get through RCB’s middle order and Malinga and Reddy used different bowling tricks to put RCB under pressure.

Key Moments :

• Abhishek Sharma’s brilliant 34 off 17 shots made it difficult for RCB to reach the large total that SRH managed.

• The 94 not out by Kishan helped SRH continue to score, with his 54 runs in the final overs making the difference

• With a partnership of 80, Salt and Kohli moved RCB into contention, but their dismissals gave momentum to RR.

• The 15th over, without any boundaries, was the start of RCB’s downfall, after Reddy removed Agarwal.

• Because of Malinga and Cummins’ yorkers and changes in pace, RCB lost 7 wickets for only 16 runs, securing a victory for SRH

Implications of  IPL 2025 :

Because of their 42-run defeat, RCB saw their net run rate slip below that of Punjab Kings and they dropped to third place in the IPL 2025 table, despite already having a playoff spot. To get back into the top-two and secure two opportunities to reach the final, RCB must beat Lucknow Super Giants comprehensively in their final game on May 27. Kumble said, “The last game is good for RCB because they will know their position and what they need to do.

The win was a nice pick-me-up for SRH, who have no chance of playing in the playoffs. Cummins said, “We did well with both bat and ball.” Nitish is returning to his bowling role. The result showed that SRH has the ability to disrupt other teams,  

Conclusion :

Thanks to Ishan Kishan’s 94* and Pat Cummins’ disciplined bowling, SRH’s 23-May win over RCB proved they know how to be aggressive in batting and disciplined in bowling. RCB’s sudden fall after looking strong highlighted how inconsistent they are under stress, a problem they should deal with for their last game of the league. Looking ahead to the playoffs, this match will be seen as one that changed the outcome of the race for the top two places.

Brief Scores :

SRH Innings : 231/6 (20 Overs) Ishan Kishan 94* off 48 Balls (7 Fours And 5 

Sixes), Abhishek Sharma 34 off 17 Balls (3 Fours And 3 Sixes).

RCB Bowling : Romario Shepherd 2/14 (2 Overs), Krunal Pandya 1/38 (4 Overs).

RCB innings : 189/10 (19.5 Overs) Phil Salt 62 off 32 Balls (4 Fours And 5 Sixes),

 Virat Kohli 43 off 25 Balls ( 7 fours And 1 Sixes).

SRH Bowling : Pat Cummins 3/28 (4 Overs), Eshan Malinga 2/37 (4 Overs).

Player of the Match : Ishan Kishan

Result : Sunrisers Hyderabad Won by 42 Runs.