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Fans witnessed a classic T20 contest filled with big hits, early breakthroughs, and match-defining spells. With the tournament heating up, both teams remain strong contenders, but SRH will take immense confidence from ending RR's winning streak in style.
Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals(HT_PRINT)Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) delivered a commanding performance to hand table-toppers Rajasthan Royals (RR) their first defeat of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. In a high-scoring clash at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Monday (April 13), SRH posted a formidable 216/6 and then bowled out RR for 159 in 19 overs, securing a convincing 57-run victory. Debutant pacers Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain starred with the ball, sharing eight wickets between them in a dream night for the hosts.
Ishan Kishan powers SRH to a strong total
Rajasthan Royals won the toss and elected to bowl first, hoping to exploit any early movement. However, SRH's batting lineup showed resilience despite an early jolt. Jofra Archer struck immediately, dismissing Abhishek Sharma for a golden duck on the first ball of the innings.
Travis Head 18(18) and captain Ishan Kishan then steadied the ship. Kishan, in particular, turned the game around with an explosive knock of 91 off just 44 balls, laced with powerful strokes. Heinrich Klaasen provided crucial support with a quick 40 off 26 deliveries, while Nitish Kumar Reddy 28 (13) chipped in usefully. SRH accelerated in the death overs to reach 216/6, setting a challenging target of 217.
RR's bowlers, led by Archer, who picked up two wickets, fought hard but couldn't contain the home side's middle-order firepower on a batting-friendly pitch.
Debutants Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain dismantle RR batting
Rajasthan Royals began their chase aggressively but suffered a massive collapse. Young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who had been in red-hot form with the Orange Cap, fell for a first-ball duck to debutant Praful Hinge. The Rajasthan top order crumbled quickly, slipping to 40/5 inside the powerplay.
Praful Hinge (Player of the Match) was the standout performer, claiming four wickets, including a sensational triple-wicket over on his IPL debut that broke the back of RR's innings. Fellow debutant Sakib Hussain complemented him perfectly with four wickets for 24 runs, exploiting the conditions and varying his pace cleverly.
Donovan Ferreira 69 (44) and Ravindra Jadeja 45 (32) attempted a fightback with a useful partnership, but it was too little, too late. Lower-order resistance from Tushar Deshpande, who smashed 25 off 11 balls with three sixes, added some entertainment before Eshan Malinga wrapped up the innings. RR were bowled out for 159, falling well short of the target.
Impact on IPL 2026 Points Table
The win lifted SRH to their second victory of the season, improving their position in the standings to fourth position with four points from five matches and an NRR of +0.576.
On the other hand, Rajasthan Royals, who entered the match unbeaten with four straight wins, suffered their first loss but remained at the top of the table with 8 points from five matches and an NRR of +0.889.
About the Author
Aachal Maniyar
Aachal Maniyar is a Senior Content Producer at LiveMint, where she covers US sports with a focus on major leagues, marquee events, and athlete-driven stories, while also reporting extensively on cricket and global sports. With over five years of first-hand journalism experience, she combines sharp editorial judgment with real-time sports storytelling across platforms. <br><br> Her reporting journey spans leading newsrooms including Thomson Reuters, India TV, BTVI, ET NOW, and CNBC TV18, where she has worked across breaking news, live match coverage, feature writing, interviews, video scripting, and anchoring. This multi-platform exposure has shaped her ability to deliver context-rich sports and business journalism tailored for both television and digital audiences. <br><br> Aachal has conducted and produced exclusive interviews with athletes and public figures such as India cricketer Dhruv Jurel, Indian women’s hockey captain Savita Punia, and industrialist Ratan Tata, along with several emerging and established sports personalities. Her body of work includes in-depth explainers, athlete profiles, emotionally resonant fan narratives, and data-backed match analysis across cricket, Olympic sports, and international competitions. <br><br> She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, and believes in reporting that is grounded in accuracy, clarity, and credibility. Her philosophy is simple: sports journalism should go beyond scores and statistics, capturing the human stories, pressure moments, and decisions that shape the game and the people who play it.
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