In the end, SRH won the match by 55 runs, but RCB won the table arithmetic. The visitors finished on 200/4, enough to end the league phase on top with 18 points and a net run rate of +0.783. Gujarat Titans, also on 18 points, finished second with +0.695, while SRH, despite their emphatic win, had to settle for third with +0.524.
The visitors were off to a flying start, reaching 50 in 3.4 overs. Venkatesh Iyer (44 off 19 balls; 4×4, 4×6) took 23 runs off Shivang Kumar’s fourth over, hitting three sixes and a four, before Eshan Malinga removed him in the next over. Sakib Hussain then struck in the sixth over, dismissing Virat Kohli for 15, as RCB ended the Powerplay at 75/2.
Malinga struck again in his third over to remove Devdutt Padikkal (21 off 14; 2×4, 1×6). RCB slowed down after the Powerplay but captain Rajat Patidar (56 off 39; 6×4, 1×6) and Krunal Pandya (41 not out off 31; 5×4) ensured they crossed the required netrun-rate markers before finishing on 200/4.
Earlier, the Sunrisers toporder showed just how dangerous they can be ahead of the playoffs. Despite coming against in-form duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlesood, the trio of Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen hit entertaining half-centuries to power the hosts to the season’s third-highest total of 255/4.
Electing to bat first, openers Travis Head (25 off 16b; 5×4) and Abhishek Sharma (56 off 22b; 4×4, 5×6) added 45 runs in five overs, hitting the purple cap holder for 25 runs in two overs before Rasikh Salam Dar dismissed Head. Iyer dropped Abhishek on 25 off Rasikh at deep square leg as Sunrisers posted 63/1 in the Powerplay.
Abhishek then hit Suyash Sharma for consecutive sixes and took 19 runs off Romario Shepherd, with two sixes, to reach his half-century in 20 balls. He was then holed out at long-off in the next over after adding 52 runs for the second wicket.