Reigning champions Royal Challengers Bangalore will face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the opening match of IPL 2026 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Their fierce rivalry has created some of the most thrilling cricket in IPL history, including an IPL final and setting an all-time team total record.
RCB vs SRH Match Recap – 28 March 2026
Sunrisers Hyderabad posted a challenging 201/9 in 20 overs, powered by an aggressive 80 off 38 balls by Ishan Kishan. Despite crossing the 200-run mark, SRH lost momentum in the later overs due to disciplined wicket-taking spells from RCB bowlers.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru responded with an explosive chase and reached 203/4 in only 15.4 overs. Virat Kohli’s 69 from 38 balls set the platform, while the middle order accelerated the scoring rate and completed the chase with 26 balls remaining. RCB won the match by 6 wickets.
Sunrisers Hyderabad Innings – 201/9 (20 Overs)
| Batsman | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travis Head | 11 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 122.22 |
| Abhishek Sharma | 7 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 87.50 |
| Ishan Kishan (c/wk) | 80 | 38 | 8 | 5 | 210.52 |
| Nitish Kumar Reddy | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 16.66 |
| Heinrich Klaasen | 31 | 22 | 2 | 1 | 140.90 |
| Aniket Verma | 43 | 18 | 3 | 4 | 238.88 |
| Harsh Dubey | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Harshal Patel | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| David Payne* | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 120.00 |
Extras: 19
Total: 201/9 (20 Overs)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Bowling
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacob Duffy | 4 | 0 | 22 | 3 | 5.50 |
| Romario Shepherd | 4 | 0 | 54 | 3 | 13.50 |
| Suyash Sharma | 4 | 0 | 31 | 1 | 7.75 |
| Abhinandan Singh | 4 | 0 | 41 | 1 | 10.25 |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Innings – 203/4 (15.4 Overs)
| Batsman | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phil Salt | 62 | 28 | 8 | 3 | 221.42 |
| Virat Kohli | 69 | 38 | 7 | 3 | 181.57 |
| Devdutt Padikkal | 41 | 22 | 5 | 2 | 186.36 |
| Rajat Patidar | 17 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 188.88 |
| Jitesh Sharma* | 10 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 200.00 |
| Romario Shepherd* | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 150.00 |
Extras: 1
Total: 203/4 (15.4 Overs)
Sunrisers Hyderabad Bowling
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 4 | 0 | 38 | 1 | 9.50 |
| Harshal Patel | 3 | 0 | 42 | 1 | 14.00 |
| Pat Cummins | 4 | 0 | 54 | 1 | 13.50 |
| Nitish Kumar Reddy | 2 | 0 | 29 | 1 | 14.50 |
| Harsh Dubey | 2.4 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 15.00 |
Match Result: Royal Challengers Bengaluru won by 6 wickets.
SRH vs RCB Head to Head Record in IPL History
Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad’s rivalry is one of the most intense and entertaining matches in Indian Premier League, from explosive batting performances to nail-biting finishes – this fixture never ceases to entertain! In this blog, we will take a closer look at its history while analysing key head-to-head stats as well as recalling key moments from their past encounters.
Both teams have met 25 times during the IPL, with RCB winning 11 and SRH 13 times respectively. Furthermore, both have also played each other eight times at M Chinnaswamy Stadium with five victories by RCB and three victories by SRH.
On Saturday, Royal Challengers Bangalore will commence their title defence against Sunrisers Hyderabad at home, in what promises to be an intriguing match-up. RCB have made a solid start this season while SRH are hoping to better their sixth-place finish last season. Both teams boast powerful batting lineups: Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Ishan Kishan and Travis Head up front; while Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mangesh Yadav and Jacob Duffy provide impetus via their bowlers; with favorable weather in Bengaluru expected, we expect no rain interruptions whatsoever during play!
Last 5 Matches Between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad
| Date | Tournament | Scorecard | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Mar 2026 | IPL | SRH 201/9 vs RCB 203/4 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru won by 6 wickets |
| 23 May 2025 | IPL | SRH 231/6 vs RCB 189/10 | Sunrisers Hyderabad won by 42 runs |
| 25 Apr 2024 | IPL | SRH 171/8 vs RCB 206/7 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru won by 35 runs |
| 15 Apr 2024 | IPL | RCB 262/7 vs SRH 287/3 | Sunrisers Hyderabad won by 25 runs |
| 18 May 2023 | IPL | SRH 186/5 vs RCB 187/2 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru won by 8 wickets |
RCB have won 3 of the last 5 matches against SRH, while the rivalry has produced several high-scoring contests, including SRH’s massive 287/3 total in 2024.
Key Highlights
- SRH scored a then-record 287/3 against RCB in IPL 2024.
- RCB chased 202 runs in just 15.4 overs in the 2026 meeting.
- Virat Kohli played a match-winning century in the 2023 clash at Hyderabad.
- Recent meetings between these teams have mostly been batting-dominated games with frequent 200+ totals.
Sunrisers Hyderabad Team Performance Review against RCB
SRH’s victory is an encouraging one, as they now boast three consecutive wins and appear to be building momentum. Their key players – Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Sakib Hussain all contributed. However, Jacob Duffy’s bowling performance will surely concern RCB as he used variations well against an aggressive pitch that provided bounce, movement and two-paced behaviour at times – this performance must surely worry them! Ehsan Malinga and Sakib Hussain supported him well during their spell; all supported him well by Ehsan Malinga and Sakib Hussain. This performance should worry them immensely as this performance must concern RCB greatly.
Top Batting Performers of SRH vs RCB
SRH still have the upper hand over RCB in this head-to-head matchup, though their lead has decreased over recent seasons as RCB won four of six completed encounters between them. Each clash between these teams has been high-scoring throughout its existence with many run fests and Super Over thrillers taking place, often featuring Virat Kohli on top of runs charts while Bhuvneshwar Kumar leading wicket taker.
No rivalry in IPL history can top the 2016 final, the inaugural Super Over meeting in 2013 or Chinnaswamy’s record-setting run fest from 2024, produced as many memorable moments. Before season opener on March 28, here are some key statistics you need to remember for its start at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
Top Batting Performers of SRH vs RCB in IPL History
| Player | Team | Runs | Best Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | RCB | 800+ | 100 |
| David Warner | SRH | 640+ | 100* |
| AB de Villiers | RCB | 540+ | 89* |
| Kane Williamson | SRH | 360+ | 81 |
| Shikhar Dhawan | SRH | 260+ | 50* |
Virat Kohli is the highest run-scorer in the RCB vs SRH rivalry with more than 800 runs, while David Warner remains SRH’s most successful batter in this matchup.
Key Highlights
- Virat Kohli has dominated the rivalry with multiple fifty-plus scores and a century.
- David Warner was SRH’s batting pillar for several seasons and maintained an excellent average against RCB.
- AB de Villiers played several match-winning knocks with a very high strike rate.
- The RCB vs SRH rivalry has frequently produced high-scoring matches and record totals.
Top Bowling Performers of SRH vs RCB
RCB and SRH boast one of the fiercest rivalries in Indian Premier League. Both sides boast some of the finest batting units ever seen at tournament and their matches always deliver high scoring action. Furthermore, these matchups often come down to final overs; each side pitting their ruthless batsmanship against one another’s disciplined bowling skills for maximum entertainment value in these matchups.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Virat Kohli have been among the top bowlers in this rivalry, scoring 762 runs between them to be most prolific batsman in this fixture. Kohli scored an iconic century against SunRisers in 2024 that overshadowed Heinrich Klaasen’s ton – it remains an iconic moment in this rivalry! AB de Villiers is another major force; their 157-run partnership in 2016 IPL Final was one of its greatest partnerships ever seen; David Warner remains a major threat with aggressive starts from top of their order bat; scoring an incredible 92 against RCB this year to lead them to an emphatic 118-run victory!
Top Bowling Performers of SRH vs RCB in IPL History
| Player | Team | Wickets | Best Bowling Figures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | SRH | 19 | 2/16 |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | RCB | 17 | 3/18 |
| T Natarajan | SRH | 12 | 3/10 |
| Rashid Khan | SRH | 11 | 3/27 |
| Harshal Patel | RCB | 10 | 3/33 |
The RCB vs SRH rivalry has featured several standout bowling performances. Bhuvneshwar Kumar leads the wicket charts, while Yuzvendra Chahal has been RCB’s most successful wicket-taker in this fixture.
Key Highlights
- Wanindu Hasaranga recorded 5/18, the best bowling figures in RCB vs SRH history.
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar has maintained consistent wicket-taking performances across multiple seasons.
- T Natarajan became effective with yorkers and death-over bowling against RCB.
- Rashid Khan regularly controlled the middle overs with his leg-spin variations.
Ishan Kishan was South Rishi Hyderabad’s star batsman in their last match but were undone by Jacob Duffy’s amazing new-ball performance. Duffy made the most of a pitch that provided both bounce and movement before eventually flattening out later on, making an impactful statement of intent by performing superbly at new-ball. It was crucial for SRH who will need Duffy’s continued contributions if they want any hope of competing for the title.
Pat Cummins is one of the main bowling threats for Sunrisers Hyderabad and his performance against RCB in Lucknow 2025 was impressive – taking 3 for 28. His bowling had tight lines while dominating both spin and pace bowlers equally effectively, playing clever variations in death overs to set SRH apart against their rival.
Key Moments and Turning Points in SRH vs RCB Clash
As IPL 2026 nears its playoffs, the race for one spot has become even tighter, and hosts SRH will head into Friday’s clash against table-toppers RCB knowing their place among the top two (and another chance at qualifying for the final) is at stake. While their visitors have shown plenty of promise with bat and ball this season, their inconsistency with key moments has prevented them from fully capitalising on opportunities presented them.
Ishan Kishan have relied heavily on their prolific batting to stay competitive, yet in order to match Ishan’s pace they will need an improved new-ball performance in this match.
