&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "IPL 2026 Eliminator: Rajasthan Royals knock out SunRisers Hyderabad to set up Qualifier 2 clash with Gujarat Titans")
Rajasthan Royals have knocked the SunRisers Hyderabad out of IPL 2026, with a 47-run win in the Eliminator on Wednesday (May 27) in Mullanpur, qualifying to face the Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Jofra Archer starred for the inaugural champions, as the Royals defended 243 with four balls remaining. Sooryavanshi broke several records for his match-winning 97 off just 29 balls, and Archer’s pace was too good for SRH’s top-three, including removing the dangerous Abhishek Sharma on a second-ball duck. He later removed Ishan Kishan and also Travis Head to dent Hyderabad’s momentum in the run chase.
Earlier, SRH won the toss and elected to field first, a decision that cost them the match. RR openers Sooryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal wreaked havoc in the Powerplay, adding 80 runs without losing a wicket. They further added 45 more in the next 11 balls before a wicket broke their 125-run stand.
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Sooryavanshi’s blistering outing held that partnership, with the left-hander smashing 12 sixes and five fours in his hurricane knock. Not only did he break Chris Gayle’s record for the most sixes in an IPL season, recording 65 and counting, but he also equalled Suresh Raina’s record for the fastest fifty in IPL playoffs, completing it in 16 balls.
Following his dismissal, Dhruv Jurel (50) and captain Riyan Parag (26) continued the onslaught, before SRH bowlers made a comeback late in the game, restricting RR to 243 for eight in 20 overs. Praful Hinge, who dismissed Sooryavanshi off a slower bouncer, returned with three wickets.
Archer, too pacey for SRH!
Archer did the early damage by dismissing Abhishek on a duck, before removing the dangerous-looking pair of Kishan and Head in his first spell. Heinrich Klaasen did try his bit but got out LBW. Impact Sub Salil Arora and Nitish Kumar Reddy did stitch a 56-run stand for the sixth wicket, but it wasn’t enough to keep their noses ahead.
Shivang Kumar also added a few runs but eventually got out in the last over, conceding a 47-run loss against the Royals.
Rajasthan will now face the Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2, and the winner of that will face the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final in Ahmedabad on Sunday (May 31).
