IPL Eliminator Highlights: Sooryavanshi, Archer Star As Rajasthan Royals Reach Qualifier 2

That’s all the action from New Chandigarh for tonight. Rajasthan Royals stay alive in IPL 2026 after a commanding win over Sunrisers Hyderabad and will now face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 on Friday for a place in the final. 

Royal Challengers Bengaluru will enjoy their extended break as they keep an eye on proceedings to find out who they'll face in the tournament finale on May 31.

Thanks for joining us throughout the Eliminator. For now, it's goodnight and goodbye! 

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi | Player of the Match

On RR’s approach heading into the next game: “When we win, we just take the positive intent forward and move on to the next match. We try to win the next match in the same way and reach the finals.”

On his mindset before matches: “I do think a little bit, but not too much. I just try to play the game I’m in and not overthink. But if I feel there’s something I need to work on, then I look at that.”

On his preparation against opposition bowlers: “I just think about who the bowlers are in the opposition team, how I can face them on this wicket, how big the boundaries are, just these kinds of things. I just try to stay positive with my intent. When I do that, the bowlers stay under pressure.”

On missing out on a century and the record: “I found out only after I got out. At that time, my only focus was to contribute as much as I could because centuries will keep happening, but right now the focus is on how to win the trophy.”

On sticking to his own plans: “If I feel I’m having trouble somewhere, I work on that. I don’t think about what the opposition is planning, that’s their plan. I focus on what my plan is, and I just try to play normal cricket.”

Riyan Parag | RR Captain: I like to be a perfectionist. Today we should have got 260, right? Was impressed with the way we bowled, we came back really well. Just leave him alone, he likes batting. He goes on and does his thing. I feel it brings out more from people. When everything is on line, everyone turned up a little more. We keep on having banters. I went up to Jofra and asked him to be a little straighter. He bowls at 150 clicks, and he does his job. Rest tomorrow, we have had a great day. Need to rest and recover.
 

Jofra Archer (3/58): We stuck to our plans, we stuck to our lengths. Usually the team that gets wickets in the powerplay wins. The good balls will go to the boundary, your bad balls as well. Against their batting line-up. The more runs we score, the more runs we have to defend. It's good for us bowlers. We are going in the right direction at the right time, we are on the right path.
 

Pat Cummins | SRH captain

On Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s knock: “Yeah, he played pretty well. You just don't feel like you have too many options. Obviously, it's a really good pitch, but the margins are so small. If you miss your yorker by a little bit, he doesn't tend to miss them. So yeah, fair play.”

On opting to chase: “Not really. It was a pretty good wicket even there at the end.”

On SRH’s young players: “I think we end up as a really well-rounded team. Praful and Sakib were awesome. Young guys haven't played a lot. I think I saw a stat today, we're one of the youngest teams to make the playoffs or something this year, or ever, or something like that, which shows some of the talent that the coaching group have unearthed.”

On whether SRH believed they could chase 244: “I think a few things still need to go right to chase down 240, but if there was ever going to be a pitch and a field to do it, it was this one. I think we stayed on the rate for most of the innings. We just kind of lost probably a couple too many wickets at the wrong time.”

On reaching the playoffs again: “You can't ask for much more. The boys have been fantastic, their attitude all year, the way they've gone about it. It looks like they've really enjoyed their cricket, so I can't ask for any more.”

Rajasthan Royals produce a commanding all-round display to knock Sunrisers Hyderabad out of IPL 2026 and book their place in Qualifier 2.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi led the charge with a breathtaking 97 off just 29 balls, narrowly missing out on what could have been the fastest century in IPL history. The teenager’s assault put RR firmly in control early, with the Royals racing to 125 inside eight overs before Dhruv Jurel added a rapid half-century to push the total to 243/8.

SRH’s chase never truly recovered after Jofra Archer ripped through the top order inside the powerplay, accounting for all the top three batters. Heinrich Klaasen also fell cheaply, while the lower-middle order counterattack only briefly delayed the inevitable as wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals.

SRH eventually finish 47 runs short as RR seal a dominant 47-run victory in New Chandigarh. 

Rajasthan Royals seal a comprehensive 47-run win in the IPL 2026 Eliminator as Sushant Mishra dismisses Shivang Kumar to wrap up the chase.

WICKET! Shivang Kumar c Vaibhav Sooryavanshi b Sushant Mishra 27 (24)

Shivang slices a wide delivery straight towards Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the deep as RR complete a dominant victory to book their place in Qualifier 2.

SRH 196/all-out after 19.2 overs. 

Brijesh Sharma delivers another tight over for Rajasthan as SRH's slim hopes fade away.

Brijesh mixes his pace effectively, with Sakib Hussain repeatedly swinging and missing while struggling to find boundaries.

The over also features a high full toss that is given as a no-ball after a review, but Hyderabad failed to capitalise on the free-hit opportunity.

Just 4 runs come off the over. 

SRH 195/9 after 19 overs.

Nandre Burger picks up another wicket for Rajasthan as Hyderabad.

Burger starts the over decently with singles off the first two balls. 

WICKET! Eshan Malinga c Jofra Archer b Nandre Burger 5 (8)

Malinga looks to take on Burger but only sends the ball flying high towards mid-off, where Jofra Archer takes a safe catch.

Sakib Hussain walks out and gets off the mark with a boundary that just about flies over mid-off.

6 runs and a wicket come off the over as RR close in on a dominant win. 

SRH need 55 runs off 12 balls to win.

SRH 191/9 after 18 overs.

Jofra Archer comes in for his final over. Shivang Kumar tears into the English pacer as he guides the 2nd delivery past third man for FOUR before smacking the next ball past mid-on for back-to-back FOURs. 

Shivang picks up another boundary as he pulls the 5th delivery to deep midwicket for FOUR. 16 runs come off the over. Archer signs off with 3/58. 

Sunrisers Hyderabad need 59 runs off 17 balls to win. 

SRH 185/8 after 17 overs. 

Yash Raj Punja comes in for his final over of the night. He does really well to keep the batters down to just four singles in the over. 

SRH need 75 runs in 24 balls to stage an unlikely comeback. 

SRH 169/8 after 16 overs. 

Ravindra Jadeja picks up his second wicket of the night as Rajasthan Royals moved within touching distance of victory.

Salil Arora connects well with the lofted drive on the 3rd delivery as he launches it for a towering six over long-on.

WICKET! Salil Arora c Nandre Burger b Ravindra Jadeja 35 (21) 

However, Jadeja responds immediately as the SRH batter slices the next delivery straight down the throat of Nandre Burger at deep extra cover who takes a safe catch.

Eshan Malinga walks out to bat and gets off the mark with a single.

SRH 165/8 after 15 overs.

Yash Raj Punja returns to the attack. Shivang pulls the 1st delivery to deep midwicket for a single. Punja slips the next ball wide down leg and has to reload. 

ALMOST! Salil mistimes the slog on the 2nd delivery and slices it high towards mid-off where it lands safely between two fielders as they grab a single. Punja closes out the over brilliantly with just 2 runs off the next 4 balls. 

SRH 153/7 after 14 overs. 

Jadeja get through an economical second over as he gives away just three singles in the over. 

SRH have a mountain to climb to avoid being knocked out tonight as they need 96 runs in 42 balls to win. 

SRH 148/7 after 13 overs. 

Sushant Mishra adds another wicket to RR’s tally as he gets rid of SRH captain Pat Cummins cheaply.

After beginning the over with a wide, Mishra bangs one short just outside off and Cummins looks to pull towards long-on. However, Jofra Archer covers good ground in the deep and takes a safe catch while managing to stay clear of the boundary ropes.

WICKET! Pat Cummins c Jofra Archer b Sushant Mishra 1 (2)

Shivang Kumar walks out to bat and gets through a testing spell of short-pitched bowling from Mishra as RR tighten their grip on the Eliminator.

SRH 145/7 after 12 overs.

Ravindra Jadeja enters the attack and delivers a massive breakthrough as he ends the dangerous partnership brewing for SRH.

Jadeja gives away just 5 runs off the first 4 balls. 

WICKET! Nitish Reddy c Dasun Shanaka b Ravindra Jadeja 38 (20)

Jadeja strikes with the 5th delivery as he fires in a flatter ball that Nitish looks to slog over deep midwicket. However, the SRH batter fails to get enough power behind the shot as Dasun Shanaka comes running in to complete a good diving catch.

SRH captain, Pat Cummins walks out to bat and gets off the mark with a single. 

SRH 138/6 after 11 overs.

Brijesh Sharma returns to the attack and he's greeted by a belligerent Salil Arora who flicks the 1st ball over deep square leg for SIX before pulling the next delivery through midwicket for FOUR. Brijesh then sends one wide outside off and has to reload. 

Salil keeps up the onslaught as he smacks the 5th delivery straight back down the ground for FOUR to bring up the 50-run partnership. 

18 runs come off the over. SRH need 112 runs from 60 balls to win. 

SRH 132/5 after 10 overs. 

Yash Raj starts the over well with just a couple of singles off the first two balls. The 3rd delivery is too short and this time Reddy thumps it past mid-off for FOUR. 

Reddy then clears his front foot on the 5th delivery and smokes it over deep midwicket for SIX. The last shot is the best of the lot as Reddy connects with the reverse-paddle to send it flying over deep square leg for back-to-back SIXES. 18 runs come off the over. 

SRH 114/5 after 9 overs. 

Nitish Kumar Reddy continues to play aggressively despite SRH’s top-order collapse, taking on Sushant Mishra with back-to-back boundaries to begin the over.

The SRH batter first slaps a short wide delivery over covers for FOUR before smashing another short ball straight back past the bowler for another FOUR. Reddy then rotates strike smartly alongside Salil Arora as Hyderabad look to rebuild.

SRH 96/5 after 8 overs. 

Yash Raj Punja comes into the attack the attack and starts off decently as he gives away just 4 runs off the first 3 balls. The 4h delivery is a tad too short and Klaasen this time makes room to launch it over long-off for SIX. 

WICKET! Heinrich Klaasen lbw b Yash Raj Punja 18 (10) 

It's a brilliant response from the spinner as he slips in a quicker delivery that beats Klaasen who shapes up for a reverse sweep. RR go for the review and it's a good one as three reds confirm Klaasen has to go. 

Impact sub Salil Arora walks out to bat and gets off the mark with 2 runs thanks to an overthrow. 

RR well in control of this game. 

SRH 83/5 after 7 overs. 

Brijesh Sharma comes into the attack for the final over in the powerplay. He starts off well giving away just three singles off the first four balls. 

Klaasen makes room and guides the slower delivery past short fine leg for FOUR. He then heaves at the final delivery to send it towards deep midwicket for 2 runs. It's a decent start from Brijesh with just 9 runs coming off it. 

SRH 71/4 after 6 overs. 
 

Jofra Archer continues his devastating opening spell by removing Travis Head to leave Sunrisers Hyderabad in deep trouble early in the 244-run chase.

Head briefly threatens a counterattack with a FOUR through covers on the 2nd delivery. 

WICKET! Travis Head b Jofra Archer 17( 8) 

However, Archer responded immediately with a sharp 150kph delivery that beats Head for pace and crashes into the top of off stump. It's Archer’s third wicket of the innings after earlier dismissing Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan.

Klaasen meanwhile gets off the mark with a FOUR past mid-off to end the over, but RR remain firmly in control.

SRH 62/4 after 5 overs. 

Jofra Archer gives Rajasthan Royals the perfect start, removing both Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan inside the powerplay.

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Nadre Burger builds some pressure as he starts the over with two dots to Smaran. 

WICKET! Smaran Ravichandran c Jofra Archer b Nandre Burger 1 (4)

The pressure works as Smaran looks to slap the 3rd ball back down the ground but only hits it high towards mid-on where Archer makes no mistake. SRH are off to a poor start in this massive chase. 

The dangerous Heinrich Klaasen walks out and doesn't manage to get off the mark as Burger closes out the over brilliantly. 

Just one run comes off the over through a wide delivery. 

SRH 53/3 after 4 overs. 

Kishan tears into Archer now as he spots the back of length delivery and cuts it fiercely past point to start the over with a FOUR off the 1st delivery. Archer goes full on the next ball and is punished further as Kishan flicks it brilliantly over deep square leg for SIX. 

Kishan drives the 3rd delivery straight towards the man at cover. He then pulls the 4th delivery high into the sky and it just about escapes Jadeja at the ropes to fall over the line for SIX. 

WICKET! Ishan Kishan c Donovan Ferreira b Jofra Archer 33 (11) 

Archer has the last laugh! He sends down another back of a length delivery to Kishan who looks to go down the ground but mistimes the shot straight down the throat of the man at cover. 

Smaran Ravichandran walks out to bat and gets off the mark with a single. 

SRH 52/2 after 3 overs. 

Nandre Burger comes into the attack as Head tucks the 1st ball to square leg to get off the mark with 2 runs. Burger then spills the next delivery down leg as it escapes even the diving Jurel for FIVE wides. Head pulls the next ball to midwicket to rotate strike. 

Kishan drives the 4th delivery to mid-on for a quick single. Burger looks to bang the 5th delivery short but Head pulls it brilliantly for a flat SIX. Head then slaps the last ball through cover for FOUR. 19 runs come off the over as SRH get off to a quick start. 

SRH 35/1 after 2 overs. 
 

Jofra Archer starts off with a back of length delivery that Abhishek mistimes towards mid-off where it lands short of the fielder. 

WICKET! Abhishek Sharma c Dhruv Jurel b Jofra Archer 0 (2)

Archer strikes in the first over again as he bangs it short to Abhishek who can't get his gloves out of the way as the ball carries to Jurel who grabs it safely. SRH lose their explosive opener on a duck. 

Ishan Kishan walks out to bat and quickly sets about erasing that poor start. He gets going with a mistimes heave to midwicket for 2 runs. Kishan then whips the full delivery over square leg for SIX before smacking the last two balls for back-to-back FOURs. He gets a thick edge past third man on the 5th delivery before slicing the last ball past point. 

16 runs and a wicket come off the over. 

SRH 16/1 after the first over. 

Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head are out in the middle as Sunrisers Hyderabad begin their chase of 244 for a place in Qualifier 2.

Jofra Archer has the new ball in hand for Rajasthan Royals. 

Rajasthan Royals post a daunting 243/8 in the IPL 2026 Eliminator after a sensational batting display led by 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

The teenager narrowly missed out on a century, smashing 97 off just 29 balls with 12 sixes and five fours in one of the most destructive knocks in IPL playoff history. Yashasvi Jaiswal made 29 as the pair put together a rapid 125-run opening stand.

Dhruv Jurel then kept the momentum going with a blistering 50 off 21 deliveries, while Riyan Parag chipped in with a quickfire 26 off 12 balls as RR crossed the 200-run mark inside 16 overs.

Sunrisers Hyderabad fought back well at the death through Praful Hinge, who picked up three wickets, while Nitish Kumar Reddy and Eshan Malinga struck late to slow down RR. Despite the late collapse, RR head into the innings break with a commanding total on the board.

SRH need 244 runs to win! 

Sakib Hussain comes in to bowl the final over as Nandre Burger walks out to bat. 

Jadeja mistimes the slog on the 1st delivery as they only get a single. 

WICKET! Nandre Burger run out (Eshan Malinga/Ishan Kishan) 1 (1)

RR are trying to push for two and pay the price. Burger cuts it towards cover and pushes for two. The throw comes in at the striker's end with Nandre well short of safety. 

Sushant Mishra walks out to bat and misses completely as he swings at the 3rd delivery. Ishan Kishan collects and has a shy at the striker's end but misses with Mishra again short of safety. Sakib meanwhile closes out the over brilliantly as he gives away just 3 runs off the last 3 balls. 

Despite the quiet finish, RR post a formidable total on the board. 

RR 243/8 after 20 overs. 

Nitish Kumar Reddy returns to bowl the penultimate over. 

WICKET! Donovan Ferreira run out (Shivang Kumar/Ishan Kishan) 12 (9)

Poor decision making from Ferreira as he cuts the 1st ball to backward point and pushes for two. This time it's an excellent throw to the keeper and Kishan does the rest. 

Jofra Archer walks out to bat and faces a couple of dot balls. He then gets a juicy full toss outside off and Archer smacks it past extra cover for FOUR. 

Reddy responds with a pinpoint yorker outside off that Archer misses. 

WICKET! Jofra Archer c Abhishek Sharma b Nitish Reddy 4 (5)

Reddy strikes again as he sends down a low full toss and Archer sends it flying towards long-on where Abhishek does well to judge the trajectory and then toss the ball up as he nears the boundary line before completing the catch. 

Just 5 runs and 2 wickets come off the over. 

RR 238/7 after 19 overs.  

Pat Cummins comes back into the attack for his final over. There's another huge mix-up on the 1st delivery as Donovan Ferreira flicks it to deep square leg and wants two. Jadeja is ball-watching and is late to take off, however the throw from Malinga is at the wrong end. If it was at the non-striker's end then Jadeja was in deep trouble. 

Ferreira drives the next ball for a single. Jadeja then ensures they run 2 on the next three balls, using the pace of Cummins to find the gaps in the field. He then spots the yorker early and glances it brilliantly past fine leg for FOUR. 

13 runs come off the over. 

RR 233/5 after 18 overs. 

Eshan Malinga delivers another important breakthrough for Sunrisers Hyderabad as Dasun Shanaka’s brief stay at the crease comes to an end. Shanaka looks to go down the ground on the 1st delivery but mistimes the shot, with Abhishek Sharma completing a comfortable catch at long-on.

Dasun Shanaka c Abhishek Sharma b Eshan Malinga 5 (3)

Ravindra Jadeja survives a major scare later in the over after a mix-up with Donovan Ferreira nearly results in a run out, but Pat Cummins misses the direct hit at the striker’s end. Ferreira then picks up a streaky boundary through third man to close the over with a FOUR.

SRH have managed to pull things back well after RR’s explosive start.

RR 220/5 after 17 overs.

Praful Hinge comes in for his final over and manages to get another breakthrough. He rushes Parag with the 1st delivery that raps the RR captain on the pads. 

WICKET! Riyan Parag c Heinrich Klaasen b Praful Hinge 26 (12)

Hinge pitches it full but Parag mistimes the loft as he picks out the man at long-on. Hinge has been expensive but that's his third wicket of the night. 

Dasun Shanaka walks out to bat and immediately gets off the mark with a FOUR past fine leg. Hinge gives away just three runs off the last three balls. 

RR 214/4 after 16 overs. 

Sakib Hussain returns to the attack after 0/34 in his first two overs. He starts off decently as he draws a big leading edge from Parag that evades the fielder for two runs. Sakib then gives away just singles off the next two balls. 

Parag then gets lucky again as he gets a big leading edge that flies over point for a one-bounce FOUR. Sakib responds with a short delivery and Parag responds by pulling it over midwicket for a flat SIX. He then pulls the last ball for a single to keep strike. 

RR 207/3 after 15 overs. 

Dhruv Jurel continues RR’s aggressive approach with a rapid half-century off just 20 balls before Praful Hinge finally ends his counterattack.

Jurel begins the over with a streaky boundary before smartly rotating strike alongside Riyan Parag. The wicketkeeper-batter then brings up his fifty in style, upper-cutting a short ball over deep backward point for SIX to bring up a 20-ball FIFTY. 

However, Hinge responds immediately with a better-directed short delivery, as Jurel mistimes the pull and is caught by Nitish Reddy at deep square leg. Jurel did well to keep up the scoring after Sooryavanshi's departure and walks back on 50.  

Dhruv Jurel c Nitish Reddy b Praful Hinge 50 (21)

Donovan Ferreira walks out and is greeted with another sharp bouncer. RR review as they want a wide but it's a legal delivery and they lose one review. 

RR 192/3 after 14 overs. 

The New Chandigarh crowd rose to applaud Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after the 15-year-old’s extraordinary 97 off just 29 balls against SRH.

Every single person is on their feet as the 15-year-old walks off 🫡

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Eshan Malinga returns to the attack and he's welcomed with a fierce cut by Jurel who sends the 1st ball racing past backward point for FOUR. Jurel slices the 3rd delivery high over mid-off but it lands safely just inside the ropes as they get run two.

Parag gets a low full toss on the 5th delivery and he whips it through square leg for FOUR. 12 runs come off the over. 

RR 180/2 after 13 overs.  

Pat Cummins comes back into the attack after conceding 0/34 in his first two overs. 

The 2nd delivery is full outside off and Jurel shuffles across to scoop it over fine leg for FOUR. Cummins bangs the 4th ball short and this time Jurel pulls it over fine leg for SIX. 

The wicket-keeper batter isn't done yet as he creames the next delivery through cover for FOUR. 17 runs come off the over all from the blade of Jurel. 

RR 168/2 after 12 overs. 

Shivang Kumar lands an important blow for SRH as Yashasvi Jaiswal miscues a lofted drive towards long-off where Abhishek Sharma takes a safe catch to get rid of the other RR opener.

Yashasvi Jaiswal c Abhishek Sharma b Shivang Kumar 29 (29)

However, RR respond immediately through Dhruv Jurel and captain Riyan Parag. Jurel launches Shivang for a huge slog-sweep over deep square leg before Parag finishes the over with a six over long-on to keep the scoring rate up.

RR 151/2 after 11 overs. 

Nitish Kumar Reddy comes into the attack and delivers a tidy over for Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Apart from a boundary off Dhruv Jurel’s bat following a misfield from Travis Head at point, SRH kept things under control with just seven runs coming off the over.

RR 136/1 after 10 overs. 

Shivang Kumar, comes into the attack as Dhruv Jurel walks out to the crease. 

The spinner does well to apply the brakes on RR as he gives away just four singles in the over. SRH need to build on this after that flying start from RR. 

RR 129/1 after 9 overs. 
 

Praful Hinge starts with a length delivery to Jaiswal who guides it to deep point for a single. Sooryavanshi brings out the helicopter shot on the 2nd delivery to send the full length delivery high over deep midwicket for SIX. 

The next ball is wide outside off and Hinge has to reload. Hinge bangs the 3rd ball short and Sooryavanshi cuts it over cover for FOUR. Hinge then sends down a high full toss which Sooryavanshi still manages to pull past fine leg for FOUR. The delivery is too high and called a no-ball with a free-hit coming up. 

The free-hit delivery is another full toss and Sooryavanshi sends it flying over square leg for SIX. Sooryavanshi isn't done yet as he clears his front foot and smokes the 5th delivery over long-off for back-to-back SIXES. Sooryavanshi moves to 97 off just 28 balls. 

WICKET! Vaibhav Sooryavanshi c Smaran Ravichandran b Praful Hinge 97 (29) 

Sooryavanshi is denied what would've been an incredible century as he slashes at a short delivery but only sends it flying towards deep third man where Smaran Ravichandran takes a good safe catch. It's been a stunning innings from the 15-year-old. 

RR 125/1 after 8 overs. 

Sakib Hussain returns to the attack after conceding 18 runs in his first over. He bangs the 2nd ball short and Jaiswal ramps it over third man for FOUR. 

Sakib sends down a slower short delivery on the 5th ball to Sooryavanshi who pulls it to deep backward square leg for a one-bounce FOUR. Sooryavanshi then gets down on one knee and connects with a huge slog to send the last ball flying over the same region for SIX this time. 16 runs come off the over. 

RR 96/0 after 7 overs. 

Praful Hinge, right-arm fast medium, comes into the attack and gets off to a good start with a couple of dots to Jaiswal. The RR opener then steps across and paddle-scoops the third delivery for FOUR over fine leg. 

Jaiswal then chops the 4th delivery to point for a quick single. Hinge closes out the over well as he gives away just a single from the last two balls. Finally a decent over for SRH to close out the powerplay. 

RR 80/0 after 6 overs. 

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi took apart Pat Cummins in spectacular fashion, smashing the SRH captain for a hat-trick of sixes in the 3rd over. 

He's just getting started 😉

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 🆚 Pat Cummins 🍿

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Eshan Malinga comes in to replace Cummins. Jaiswal greets him with a fierce slash on the 1st delivery for FOUR through covers. 

Sooryavanshi targets the same region on the 3rd delivery as he cuts it past the fielder for another FOUR. Malinga concedes just two singles off the last three balls. 11 runs come off the over. 

RR 74/0 after 5 overs. 

Sakib Hussain replaces Malinga, but the punishment continued as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi takes charge for the over and races to a stunning half-century off just 16 balls.

The 15-year-old starts the over cautiously with a dot before launching Sakib over deep extra cover for a massive SIX to bring up the 50-run partnership with Jaiswal. After swinging through two slower deliveries, Sooryavanshi responded in brutal fashion, smashing back-to-back sixes to move past Chris Gayle’s tally for the most sixes in a single IPL season.  The RR opener now has 61 SIXES this season, moving past Gayle's previous record of 59. 

His fifty comes in trademark style as he whips Sakib over deep mid-wicket and into the stands. 18 runs come off the over. 

RR 63/0 after 4 overs. 

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi wasted no time getting going, launching another first-over six to add to his aggressive starts at the top for Rajasthan Royals.

Chalo, shuru karte hain! 👏

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi kickstarts his six hitting ritual with yet another first over maximum!

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Cummins continues into a second over and Sooryavanshi tears into the Australian captain. Jaiswal drives the 1st delivery to mid-off where some excellent fielding keeps them down to a single. 

Sooryavanshi gets going with a strong punch on the 2nd delivery, to send it flying past mid-off for FOUR. Cummins bangs the next ball short but it's too high and called a wide. The 3rd delivery is full and in the slot and Sooryavanshi lofts it high over long-on for SIX. 

He then slashes hard at the next delivery which is banged short and sends it flying over third man for back-to-back SIXES. Sooryavanshi isn't done yet as he makes it a hat-trick of SIXES against Cummins, slapping the 5th delivery straight back over the bowler's head. 

He ends the over with a single to keep strike. Sooryavanshi moves to 36* off just 10 deliveries. 

RR 45/0 after 3 overs. 

Eshan Malinga will bowl from the other end. Jaiswal blocks out the 1st delivery before slashing hard at the next ball and gets lucky as a thick outside edge flies past short third man for FOUR. 

Malinga responds with a fizzer that zips past the outside edge. Jaiswal cuts the 4th ball past point for a single. 

Malinga bangs in the last ball short and Sooryavanshi swivels as he pulls it into the stands over deep square leg. 

RR 20/0 afer 2 overs. 

Jaiswal drives the 1st delivery straight back onto the stumps at the non-striker's end but Cummins doesn't get a hand to it or Sooryavanshi would've been in trouble. 

Jaiswal gets a thick inside edge on the next delivery to get off the mark with a single. Sooryavanshi blocks out the yorker before getting off the mark with a drive to mid-off. 

Jaiswal cuts the 5th delivery to deep backward point for a single. It's a good start from Cummins so far with only three singles coming off it. 

However, Sooryavanshi lifts the last delivery straight back over the Aussie's head for a SIX. A touch too full from Cummins and he's punished by the 15-year-old boy wonder. 

RR 9/0 after the first over. 

The Rajasthan Royals openers, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi are out in the middle and Sunrisers Hyderabad have taken their fielding positions. 

It will be captain Pat Cummins who will open the attack for SRH with Jaiswal on strike. 

New Chandigarh has produced several high-scoring matches in IPL 2026, with chasing teams winning three of the four games played at the venue so far. The average first-innings score stands at 214, while six of the eight completed innings this season have crossed the 200-run mark.

Rajasthan Royals have enjoyed success at the ground, winning all three of their matches here, while Sunrisers Hyderabad have won one and lost one in New Chandigarh.

SRH also carry strong recent form into tonight’s Eliminator, having won their last six matches against RR dating back to 2022, including both meetings earlier this season.

Both teams have confirmed their list of Impact Player substitutes for tonight’s IPL 2026 Eliminator in New Chandigarh.

Sunrisers Hyderabad Impact subs: Salil Arora, Aniket Verma, Liam Livingstone, Harsh Dubey, Harshal Patel.

Rajasthan Royals Impact subs: Shubham Dubey, Sushant Mishra, Aman Rao Perala, Ravi Bishnoi, Tushar Deshpande.

Pat Cummins (Sunrisers Hyderabad Captain): We will bowl first.I think we have played some good cricket of late, we will try to keep our bowling simple and let them play to their strengths. Hinge comes back in. I think we are not bothered about the pressure, its a good chasing ground.

Riyan Parag (Rajasthan Royals Captain): We also would have bowled first as its a good chasing ground. this has been a good ground, as we have chased and defended. I am unfit to play. Even now we have no other options than to win, I am happy with the team performance if we play to our potential. Jaddu comes back in the XI, Dubey is the impact player

Sunrisers Hyderabad (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (w), Heinrich Klaasen, Smaran Ravichandran, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Pat Cummins (c), Shivang Kumar, Eshan Malinga, Sakib Hussain, Praful Hinge.

Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (w), Riyan Parag (c), Donovan Ferreira, Dasun Shanaka, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Brijesh Sharma, Yash Raj Punja.

All on the line in this one! SRH won the toss & elect to bowl first! 🟠

Here are the squad updates -

SRH - Praful Hinge comes back in 💪
RR - Ravindra Jadeja makes his way in the Playing 11 👏

Which player will have a bigger say in this eliminator? 💬#TATAIPL Playoffs… pic.twitter.com/oa08mUD8Gi

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) May 27, 2026

Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bowl first against Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2026 Eliminator in New Chandigarh.

The decision continues the chasing trend at the venue, where all three IPL 2026 matches played on Pitch No. 4 have been won by the team batting second.

Riyan Parag and Pat Cummins are out in the middle for the toss at New Chandigarh. Playing XIs and toss result coming up shortly.

Former Australia captain Aaron Finch expects another run-heavy contest in New Chandigarh, describing the pitch for the IPL 2026 Eliminator as “absolutely flat” ahead of the clash between Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Speaking during the pre-match pitch report, Finch said, “This is a beautiful wicket. I think anybody in the world would love to put their pads on and come out and attack from here.”

However, Finch added that new-ball bowlers like Jofra Archer and Pat Cummins could still find some early assistance. “There’s enough here, with the brand-new ball, that there’s a couple of little bare patches. Maybe they can get some balls to skid. Maybe they can get some balls to seam. But that will not last very long,” he said.

Finch also backed chasing teams to hold the advantage at the venue, saying he did not expect the surface to change much across the 40 overs. “Chasing later on, that’ll be the way to go,” he added.

Ahead of the Eliminator, Ravindra Jadeja spoke about the backing he received from former Rajasthan Royals captain Shane Warne during the early stages of his IPL career.

#RavindraJadeja reflects on the invaluable support and belief shown by his former #RR captain #ShaneWarne during his debut IPL season 🙌#TATAIPL 2026, Eliminator 👉 #SRHvRR | WED, 27th MAY, 6:30 PM pic.twitter.com/AWAXuRAiLq

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) May 27, 2026

RR vs SRH, IPL 2026 Eliminator - Pitch And Weather Conditions: Pitch No. 4 will be used for tonight’s IPL 2026 Eliminator in New Chandigarh, with conditions expected to favour batters once again. The surface has produced several high-scoring matches this season, including Rajasthan Royals’ successful chase of 223 against Punjab Kings at the venue earlier in the campaign.

Notably, all three IPL 2026 matches played on this pitch have been won by the chasing side, making the toss potentially crucial ahead of the knockout clash. Temperatures are also expected to remain in the mid-to-high 30s Celsius during the game.

Sunrisers Hyderabad assistant coach James Franklin praised Nitish Kumar Reddy ahead of the IPL 2026 Eliminator, saying the all-rounder has taken his T20 game “to the next level” this season.

Franklin said Reddy took a lot of learnings from the last campaign and highlighted the progress he has made with both bat and ball.

"He has done quite a bit of work on his bowling, he (has) looked as confident as ever with the bat in the early part of our campaign. In terms of the prep work, in the first couple of games he got some validation on that in terms of getting a couple of little cameo scores and partnerships," said Franklin.

Reddy has scored 264 runs and picked up seven wickets in IPL 2026 while taking on a bigger role in SRH’s middle order. Franklin noted that the Indian all-rounder has adapted well to batting lower down the order and finishing innings under pressure.

“His role has obviously been slightly deeper this year,” Franklin said. “He has played some unbelievable cameos for us in finishing off innings.”

The SRH assistant coach also pointed to Reddy’s versatility with the ball, saying Hyderabad have used him in different phases depending on match-ups throughout the season.

(With PTI Inputs)

Rajasthan Royals head coach Kumar Sangakkara believes his side will need to match Sunrisers Hyderabad’s aggressive style when the two teams meet in the IPL 2026 Eliminator on Wednesday.

Speaking after RR sealed their playoff spot with a win over Mumbai Indians, Sangakkara acknowledged the challenge posed by SRH’s explosive batting line-up and said Rajasthan would have to respond with intent in both bowling and execution.

“They bat well. They trust themselves to go hard and they've done it the whole tournament,” Sangakkara said. “We know what we're going to face.”

The RR coach added that his bowlers would need to stay disciplined while still attacking their lengths against Hyderabad’s power-hitters.

Sangakkara also backed under-fire captain Riyan Parag, saying the franchise is ready to give him a long rope as a leader.

"I think I've seen very few players who have been criticised, like Riyan has been criticised for about seven years now. Ever since I came to the franchise, there's always people who like Riyan, but there are a lot of people who didn't really like him, especially on social media," Sangakkara said.

"Having watched him, yes, he will grow. He will mature. He will understand himself a lot more. He will learn to understand his players a lot more. But even today, if you look at the calls he makes as captain, the confidence with which he does, he drags himself almost on one foot sometimes to come and play. There's a huge amount of positives."

"He has captained exceptionally well. He has led his team exceptionally well and when he's in that dressing room, he's got the respect of all the players and the staff. That's all you can ask for."

Sangakkara said Rajasthan Royals will continue to back Riyan as a leader.

"What happens in the next few years, it's a really interesting relationship we have to build with the franchise and Riyan and really help him develop as a captain, as a batter, as a person, and keep supporting him."

"He's a very, very good young man. Sometimes what you see on the outside is not Riyan Parag. Riyan Parag is a lovely, soft, gentle, really determined, smart young man."

(With PTI Inputs)

Rajasthan Royals are expected to receive a timely boost ahead of the Eliminator, with both captain Riyan Parag and Ravindra Jadeja likely to be available despite injury concerns. Parag has been managing a hamstring issue in recent games, while Jadeja has also been nursing an injury, according to RR head coach Kumar Sangakkara.

Both players are nevertheless expected to feature against Sunrisers Hyderabad in New Chandigarh tonight.

SRH, meanwhile, do not have any major injury concerns heading into the knockout clash. Harshal Patel returned in the previous game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, although Hyderabad could still make a late decision between him and Praful Hinge for the final spot in the playing XI. 

Here's a look at the probable Playing XIs for tonight: 

SRH Possible XI: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Salil Arora, Ravichandran Smaran, Pat Cummins (capt), Shivang Kumar, Eshan Malinga, Sakib Hussain.

RR Possible XI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi,  Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (capt), Dasun Shanaka, Donovan Ferreira, Jofra Archer, Shubham Dubey, Ravindra Jadeja, Nandre Burger, Yash Raj Punja,  Brijesh Sharma.

IPL chairman Arun Dhumal hailed Rajasthan Royals teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ahead of the IPL 2026 Eliminator, describing him as a perfect example of the league’s ability to identify and nurture young talent.

Speaking to The Times of India, Dhumal said: “Vaibhav embodies IPL's tagline which is, ‘where talent meets opportunity.’ That boy is something else, isn't he?”

The RR opener has been one of the breakout stars of the season, scoring 583 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate above 230 while smashing more sixes than boundaries.

Dhumal also credited Rajasthan Royals’ scouting network for identifying the teenager early. “I think it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for any scouting or selection team to pick up such amazing talent at such a young age,” he said.

"And the way the boy has matured and performed at this young age is phenomenal. Not only in the IPL, if you look at the U-19 World Cup final, he scored 175 in 80 balls and the team went on to score 411 runs. That is unheard of in U-19 cricket, that too in a World Cup final.

"That augurs very well for Indian cricket per se. And that is the beauty of the IPL. It has been transformative for so many young talents during the past 18-19 years. It has transformed their lives," he added.

The IPL chairman added that both the BCCI and Rajasthan Royals would have an important role in supporting Sooryavanshi through the highs and lows of professional cricket.

"Like any great player, he will also go through ups and downs. That is the uniqueness of sport. He will fail. He will go down. But this is what sport trains you for. You get up and give a better performance in the next game. That is very integral to preparing you for life. Life will never be a one-way street where you only rise.

"I am sure the boy, given his performances throughout this season and as part of the U-19 team, would have seen many failures. But in the next game, he would have tried to perform even better and help his team win," said Dhumal.

The IPL chairman also expressed confidence that the youngster could go on to represent India for many years. 

Sunrisers Hyderabad will enter tonight’s Eliminator with the historical advantage in this rivalry. The two teams have faced each other 21 times in the IPL, with SRH winning 13 matches compared to Rajasthan Royals’ eight victories.

Rajasthan Royals’ run to the IPL 2026 playoffs has largely been driven by the firepower at the top of the order, led by teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The 15-year-old has enjoyed a remarkable season, scoring 583 runs at a strike rate above 230 while smashing a tournament-leading 53 sixes. His fearless approach has made him one of the breakout stars of the campaign.

Yashasvi Jaiswal has also delivered consistently at the top with nearly 400 runs at a strike rate close to 160, while Dhruv Jurel has added important middle-order contributions with over 400 runs this season. However, RR will hope captain Riyan Parag can rediscover form after a relatively quiet campaign with the bat.

With the ball, Jofra Archer has remained Rajasthan’s biggest weapon. The England pacer has claimed 21 wickets this season, the third-most in IPL 2026, and will once again carry the responsibility of leading the attack in this knockout clash.

Sunrisers Hyderabad will head into the IPL 2026 Eliminator backed by one of the most destructive batting line-ups in the tournament. Heinrich Klaasen has been SRH’s standout performer this season, scoring 606 runs at an average above 50 while striking at nearly 160. The South African is also the only middle-order batter among the top run-scorers this year and recently became the only batter in the tournament's history to bat at no 4 or lower and register 600 runs in a single season. 

Ishan Kishan has also played a key role in Hyderabad’s campaign, stepping up both as a batter and stand-in captain during Pat Cummins’ absence. Kishan has scored 569 runs at a strike rate above 178, while openers Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head have continued to provide explosive starts at the top.

SRH’s bowling attack has quietly delivered as well. Eshan Malinga has led the pace unit with 19 wickets, while debutants Sakib Hussain and Praful Hinge have also made important contributions throughout the season. The attack has looked more settled since Cummins returned to the side ahead of the playoffs.

The IPL has released a cinematic preview ahead of the IPL 2026 Eliminator between Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Two teams enter. One dream survives 🏆

It’s @SunRisers and @rajasthanroyals in a 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗯𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 #Eliminator tonight 🔥#TATAIPL | #TheFinalLeap | #SRHvRR pic.twitter.com/Qwtho2Phwt

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 27, 2026

Sunrisers Hyderabad completed a league-stage double over Rajasthan Royals earlier this season and will take confidence from those results heading into tonight’s Eliminator.

SRH first defeated RR by 57 runs in Hyderabad before producing one of the standout chases of IPL 2026 in Jaipur, where they hunted down a 229-run target with five wickets in hand and nine balls remaining.

Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals enter the IPL 2026 Eliminator after contrasting journeys through the league stage.

SRH recovered from a slow start to win five matches in a row and surge into the playoffs, while Rajasthan Royals began the season strongly before slipping into a late battle for qualification.

With both sides having revived their campaigns at different stages, the knockout clash in New Chandigarh promises to be a high-pressure contest between two in-form batting units. Stay tuned to our page for all the live updates from the IPL 2026 Eliminator.