Royal Challengers Bengaluru may have lost the match, but they emerged as the biggest winners in the IPL 2026 playoff race after successfully protecting their Net Run Rate against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Match 67 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Friday. Despite suffering a 55-run defeat, RCB finished at the top of the points table, while SRH narrowly missed out on a direct place in Qualifier 1.

Sunrisers Hyderabad produced a dominant batting display to post a massive 255/4 after being sent in to bat. Opener Abhishek Sharma provided a blistering start with 56 off just 22 deliveries, reaching his half-century in only 20 balls. Ishan Kishan anchored the innings with a fluent 79 off 46 balls, while Heinrich Klaasen accelerated in the middle overs with a destructive 51 from 24 deliveries. Nitish Kumar Reddy added the finishing touches with an unbeaten 29 off 12 balls as Hyderabad crossed the 250-run mark for the first time this season.

However, the playoff equation remained heavily dependent on Net Run Rate. SRH required a victory margin of at least 90 runs to overtake RCB and move into the top two. Bengaluru approached the chase with that equation firmly in mind, focusing more on securing the required scoring thresholds rather than launching a reckless pursuit of the target.

Also Read: IPL 2026: RCB Views Jitesh Sharma’s Poor Form As Strategic Advantage

Venkatesh Iyer gave RCB early momentum with a quickfire 44 off 19 balls before Virat Kohli departed for 15 during the powerplay. Devdutt Padikkal also fell cheaply as Bengaluru slipped to 94/3 in the ninth over. Captain Rajat Patidar then steadied the innings with a composed 56 off 39 balls and shared an 84-run partnership with Krunal Pandya, who remained unbeaten on 41 from 31 deliveries.

RCB successfully crossed the critical qualification benchmarks during the chase, ensuring Hyderabad could no longer surpass them on Net Run Rate. Tim David’s late unbeaten cameo of 15 off seven deliveries further strengthened Bengaluru’s position as they closed on 200/4 in 20 overs, enough to secure a top-of-the-table finish despite the defeat.

The result leaves RCB, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Titans level on 18 points, but Bengaluru’s superior Net Run Rate helped them finish first in the standings. Gujarat Titans ended second and will now face RCB in Qualifier 1 in Dharamshala. SRH, meanwhile, were pushed into the Eliminator in New Chandigarh, where they await the eventual fourth-placed team as the race for the final playoff berth continues between Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders.

Also Read: LSG Beat RCB In Last-Over Thriller, IPL 2026 Points Table Updated