IPL 2026: SRH bat first vs RCB in Match 67 as Patidar replaces injured Bethell
Synopsis
With RCB on 18 points and SRH just two behind, Match 67 at Hyderabad is effectively a playoff audition. SRH won the toss and chose to bat on a flat deck — and Pat Cummins, candid about the long odds, made clear his side has nothing to lose. Patidar's return for the injured Bethell is the one curveball RCB bring to the contest.
Key Takeaways
SRH won the toss and elected to bat first against RCB in IPL 2026 Match 67 at Hyderabad on 22 May .
Rajat Patidar returns to lead RCB , replacing the injured Jacob Bethell (finger injury).
SRH are unchanged from their previous match; RCB made one forced change.
RCB sit on 18 points (9 wins in 13 matches); SRH are on 16 points from 13 games.
A SRH win could move them into second place on Net Run Rate (NRR) .
The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium pitch is expected to be flat, favouring batters hitting through the line.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) won the toss and elected to bat first against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Match 67 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Friday, 22 May. The contest pits two of the tournament's in-form sides against each other at a critical juncture in the race for the top two playoff spots.
Team News and Changes
RCB captain Rajat Patidar returned to the playing XI as the lone change for his side, stepping in for Jacob Bethell, who has picked up a finger injury. SRH named an unchanged lineup from their previous outing, signalling confidence in the combination that has carried them through the tournament.
Toss and Pitch Conditions
The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium surface appeared bereft of grass ahead of the match, presenting a consistent and even deck. The pitch is expected to bounce and carry, offering batters the opportunity to play through the line with confidence — a factor that likely influenced SRH captain Pat Cummins's decision to bat first.
What Cummins Said
Cummins acknowledged that a top-two finish remains a long shot but was clear about his side's intent. 'I think it's a long shot finishing top two, but we just want to give it a crack. Want the boys to enjoy tonight,' he said at the toss.
Points Table Context
RCB head into this fixture placed strongly on 18 points from nine wins in 13 matches. SRH sit just behind on 16 points from the same number of games. A SRH victory, depending on Net Run Rate (NRR), could push them into second place — making this a high-stakes encounter for both franchises.
Playing XIs
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (wk), Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, R Smaran, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Pat Cummins (capt), Shivang Kumar, Eshan Malinga, Sakib Hussain. Impact substitutes: Aniket Verma, Praful Hinge, Liam Livingstone, Harsh Dubey, Harshal Patel.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Venkatesh Iyer, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (capt), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rasikh Salam, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood. Impact substitutes: Tim David, Kanishk Chouhan, Swapnil Singh, Abhinandan Singh, Jordan Cox.
With the playoff picture tightening, the result of this match could reshape the top half of the IPL 2026 standings before the final round of league fixtures.
Point of View
One injury-enforced change, and a pitch that could produce a score that scrambles the standings overnight. Cummins's candid 'long shot' admission is notable — it removes pressure but also signals SRH know they need other results to go their way. For RCB, Patidar's return steadies the captaincy, but Bethell's absence removes a key powerplay option. The NRR angle adds a layer most pre-match analysis will underweight: a big SRH win here does more than two points' worth of damage to RCB's cushion.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the toss in IPL 2026 Match 67 between SRH and RCB?
Sunrisers Hyderabad won the toss and elected to bat first against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Match 67 of IPL 2026 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on 22 May.
Why is Rajat Patidar playing instead of Jacob Bethell for RCB?
Jacob Bethell has picked up a finger injury and has been ruled out of Match 67. Rajat Patidar, RCB's captain, returned to the playing XI as the lone change for the side.
What is the IPL 2026 points table position of SRH and RCB ahead of Match 67?
RCB are on 18 points from nine wins in 13 matches, while SRH have 16 points from the same number of games. A SRH victory could move them into second place depending on Net Run Rate.
What did Pat Cummins say at the toss?
Cummins said: 'I think it's a long shot finishing top two, but we just want to give it a crack. Want the boys to enjoy tonight.' He acknowledged the challenge of a top-two finish but expressed a positive outlook.
What are the full playing XIs for SRH and RCB in Match 67?
SRH: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (wk), Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, R Smaran, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Pat Cummins (capt), Shivang Kumar, Eshan Malinga, Sakib Hussain. RCB: Venkatesh Iyer, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (capt), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rasikh Salam, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood.
