Top 3 iconic matches in the IPL between SRH and RCB

SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) will face Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in match number 65 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Thursday, May 18.

While SRH are no longer in contention for a place in the playoffs, they will be keen to restore some pride. In their last match, they went down to Gujarat Titans (GT) by 34 runs.

But there is much more than pride at stake for RCB. They are very much in the playoffs race, with 12 points from 12 matches. In their previous clash, they bundled out Rajasthan Royals (RR) for a meager 59 runs, registering a thumping 112-run win. The massive margin of victory boosted their net run rate significantly, which now stands at +0.166.

If we look at the head-to-head record between Hyderabad and Bangalore, SRH have won 12 of the 22 matches played between the teams, while RCB have emerged victorious in nine. One game produced no result.

The two teams have featured in some memorable clashes in the IPL over the years. Ahead of the latest SRH-RCB face-off, we look back at three of their iconic battles.

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#3 (IPL 2021 - RCB won by six runs)

Royal Challengers Bangalore star Glenn Maxwell (Pic: iplt20.com)

Royal Challengers Bangalore beat SunRisers Hyderabad by six runs in a low-scoring encounter of the IPL 2021 edition at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Batting first, RCB managed to put up only 149/8 on the board. However, their bowlers restricted SRH to 143/9.

While Virat Kohli contributed 33 for Bangalore, Glenn Maxwell was the star with the bat for the franchise, scoring 59 off 41 balls, a knock featuring five fours and three sixes.

Maxwell was comparatively subdued for the most part, before opening up at the end. He smashed T Natarajan for two fours in the penultimate over and launched Jason Holder for a maximum, before perishing off the last delivery.

Shahbaz Ahmed (3/7), Harshal Patel (2/25), and Mohammed Siraj (2/25) then starred with the ball in RCB’s close win. David Warner top-scored for SRH with 54, while Manish Pandey contributed 38. However, Hyderabad collapsed in inexplicable fashion from 96/1.

The equation came down to 16 needed off the last over, but Harshal conceded only nine as Bangalore registered a famous come-from-behind win.

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#2 (IPL 2013 - SRH won via Super Over)

Hanuma Vihari in action for SRH. (Pic: iplt20.com)

SRH beat RCB via the Super Over in match number seven of IPL 2013 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad in another low-scoring thriller.

Bangalore batted first in the match and were held to 130/8 despite defiant knocks from Kohli (46) and Moises Henriques (44). For SRH, Ishant Sharma stood out with figures of 3/27.

In reply, Bangalore kept striking at regular intervals as Hyderabad found themselves in trouble at 101/6. Jaydev Unadkat (2/24) and Henriques (2/14) impressed with the ball. However, Hanuma Vihari (44* off 46) played a resolute innings to keep SRH in the hunt.

With two runs needed off the last ball, Vihari and Dale Steyn stole a bye off the last ball to tie the game.

In the Super Over, SRH scored 20 as Cameron White smashed Vinay Kumar for two sixes. Steyn then held RCB to 15, despite Kohli and Chris Gayle facing him in the Super Over.

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#1 (IPL 2016 - SRH won by eight runs)

Ben Cutting was one of the heroes of SRH’s IPL 2016 triumph. (Pic: BCCI)

SunRisers Hyderabad beat Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL 2016 final at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. In a high-scoring summit clash, SRH batted first and posted a big total of 208/7.

Skipper David Warner top-scored with 69 off 38 balls. Yuvraj Singh contributed 38 off 23, while Ben Cutting (39* off 15) provided the final flourish to the innings. For Bangalore, Chris Jordan picked up three wickets, but went for 45 runs.

RCB got off to a brilliant start in the chase as Gayle (76 off 38) and Kohli (54 off 35) added 114 for the opening wicket in 10.3 overs. The excellent stand ended when Gayle holed out to third man off Cutting’s bowling. Kohli then dragged a delivery from Barinder Sran back onto his stumps.

Bangalore completely lost their way after Kohli’s dismissal as AB de Villiers (5), KL Rahul (11), Shane Watson (11), and Stuart Binny (9) all perished cheaply.

In the end, RCB were held to 200/7 as Cutting (2/35) was adjudged Player of the Final for his terrific all-round performance.