Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) secured the top spot on the IPL 2026 league table on Friday, 23 May, even after suffering a 55-run defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in a high-scoring encounter at Hyderabad. Chasing a mammoth 255, RCB finished at 200/4 — enough to leapfrog Gujarat Titans and SRH on net run rate and earn a direct berth in Qualifier 1.

A Calculated Innings

RCB head coach Andy Flower revealed that the team carefully mapped out their qualification scenarios during the innings break before allowing the batters to make their own call on the pitch. 'We did discuss the various targets that could be achieved. So I think we needed 166 to confirm top two and 179 to confirm top of the table with clearly 255 to get for the win,' Flower said. The side ultimately settled for the safer route, prioritising the league position over a difficult chase.

'We were in a position where we could have kept pushing to chase down 255 but ultimately we got the job done and topped the league. It is quite a difficult position to be put in, when you have got these conflicting things at play,' Flower noted. 'The game is on winning the game to top the league table,' he added.

Venkatesh Iyer and Patidar Anchor RCB's Chase

Venkatesh Iyer set the tone with a blistering 44 off 19 balls at the top of the order, while captain Rajat Patidar contributed a composed half-century to steer RCB to a total that served their qualification arithmetic. Flower was effusive in his praise for Iyer, who had spent several weeks on the bench before being handed opportunities in back-to-back games — at Dharamsala batting at number four and at Hyderabad opening the innings.

'I have got a lot of respect for Venky. He has been waiting patiently for his opportunity and when it came, in either of the roles as an Impact Player... he has gone on to take them and that is why he deserves his opportunity,' Flower said. He further described Iyer's conduct during his time on the sidelines as 'exemplary', highlighting that the veteran had remained fully committed in every training session — batting, bowling, and fielding — without any change in his disposition.

SRH's Record Total Built on Brilliant Batting

SRH posted 255/4, powered by exceptional innings from Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Heinrich Klaasen. SRH coach Daniel Vettori explained that the decision to bat first was deliberate, anticipating the pitch would slow down significantly in the second innings. 'I think it was exactly how we anticipated and that's exactly why we batted first,' Vettori said.

Vettori also pointed to dropped catches by RCB as a factor that allowed his side to overshoot their expected total. 'You felt 200 to 220 should have been a very good total at that surface,' he said. He credited his openers' aggressive approach against Bhuvneshwar Kumar — a former SRH player — as the key tactical move. 'They are going to attack whoever it is... in order to win a game like this, you are always going to have to have a go at one of your most economical operators, and that's how we played today and it came off,' Vettori added.

What Comes Next

RCB will face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 on 26 May, with a spot in the final at stake. SRH, meanwhile, will take on the fourth-placed team in the Eliminator on 27 May. For RCB, the mission is now clear — convert their league-stage momentum into a place in the IPL 2026 final.