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Gujarat Titans will take on RCB in Qualifier 1 of the IPL 2026 after Sunrisers Hyderabad failed to restrict the Rajat Patidar-led side under 165. Sunrisers Hyderabad scored 255/4 after batting first against RCB.
RCB's Venkatesh Iyer hits a boundary against Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2026. (AP)Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) retained their top spot in the Indian Premier League (IPL) points table after the group stage despite their loss against Sunrisers Hyderabad by 55 runs on Friday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. In the process Sunrisers Hyderabad, RCB and Gujarat Titans finish their group stage at 18 points with the net run rate (NRR) coming into play as far as the final standings are concerned.
With Gujarat Titans sealing their second spot after their win over Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad finished at third based on NRR. While RCB finished with a NRR of +0.783, Sunrisers Hyderabad have +0.524. Gujarat Titans finished at+0.695. That leaves Punjab Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals fighting for the last spot in the playoffs.
Sunrisers Hyderabad could have finished at the top spot, had they were able to restrict RCB under 165 after scoring 255/4, following Pat Cummins' decision to bat first. RCB finished on 200/4 in 20 overs, with captain Rajat Patidar top-scoring 56. Venkatesh Iyer and Krunal Pandya also contributed with 44 and 41 respectively.
IPL 2026 Points Table after SRH vs RCB
| Rank | Teams | Matches | Win | Loss | NR | NRR | Points |
| 1 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Q) | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | +0.783 | 18 |
| 2 | Gujarat Titans (Q) | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | +0.695 | 18 |
| 3 | Sunrisers Hyderabad (Q) | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | +0.524 | 18 |
| 4 | Rajasthan Royals | 13 | 7 | 6 | 0 | +0.083 | 14 |
| 5 | Punjab Kings | 13 | 6 | 6 | 1 | +0.227 | 13 |
| 6 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 13 | 6 | 6 | 1 | +0.011 | 13 |
| 7 | Chennai Super Kings (E) | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | -0.345 | 12 |
| 8 | Delhi Capitals | 13 | 6 | 7 | 0 | -0.871 | 12 |
| 9 | Mumbai Indians (E) | 13 | 4 | 9 | 0 | -0.510 | 8 |
| 10 | Lucknow Super Giants (E) | 13 | 4 | 9 | 0 | -0.702 | 8 |
That means, RCB will take on Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 on May 26 at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala. Sunrisers Hyderabad will take on either Punjab Kings or Kolkata Knight Riders or Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator on May 27 in Mullanpur.
The loser of Qualifier 1 and the winner of the Eliminator will play in Qualifier 2 for a spot in the final. The winner between RCB and Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 will directly book a spot in the summit clash.
IPL 2026 Playoffs schedule
| May 26 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans | Qualifier 1 | HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala |
| May 27 | Sunrisers Hyderabad vs TBD | Eliminator | New PCA Stadium, Mullanpur |
| May 29 | TBD vs TBD | Qualifier 1 | New PCA Stadium, Mullanpur |
| May 31 | TBD vs TBD | Final | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
Catch the live updates from IPL 2026 with the complete IPL 2026 Schedule and the IPL 2026 Points Table. Also, know who are currently leading the charts in IPL 2026 Orange Cap and IPL 2026 Purple Cap.
About the Author
Koushik Paul
Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.
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