IPL 2026 RR vs SRH Match 36 Highlights: Sunrisers Hyderabad Clinch Thriller Despite Sooryavanshi Century

In a high-stakes encounter at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) pulled off a spectacular 5-wicket victory against the Rajasthan Royals (RR). Despite a historic century from RR’s teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, SRH's middle-order composure and tactical brilliance allowed them to chase down a daunting target in Jaipur.

The Toss: Pat Cummins’ Tactical Masterstroke

Contrary to the usual "bat first" trend in Jaipur, Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bowl first. His reasoning was twofold: he wanted to exploit any early moisture in the dry deck and banked on the heavy dew predicted for the second half of the game to neutralize RR’s world-class spin duo, Ashwin and Chahal.

First Innings: The Rise of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

The story of the first innings was undoubtedly the 15-year-old sensation, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Opening the batting for Rajasthan Royals, Sooryavanshi played with a maturity that belied his age.

• The Powerplay was a display of pure aggression from the Royals' young openers. Yashasvi Jaiswal played a brief supporting role before falling for 10 runs off 8 balls. Following his dismissal, Dhruv Jurel joined Sooryavanshi to steady the ship and eventually accelerate.

• The Record: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi became one of the youngest players to score an IPL century, reaching the milestone in just 54 balls. His innings featured 10 boundaries and 6 massive sixes.
• The Finish: Dhruv Jurel provided the late-innings flourish with a cameo of 34 runs off 14 balls, propelling Rajasthan Royals to a formidable 204/4 in their 20 overs.

For SRH, Pat Cummins was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with figures of 2/32, though he struggled to contain the flow of runs during the death overs.

Second Innings: The Clinical Chase

Chasing 205 in Jaipur is never easy, but SRH’s batting depth proved to be the difference maker.

The Explosive Start

Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma didn’t hold back. Head, in particular, was aggressive against Trent Boult, ensuring SRH stayed ahead of the required run rate. Abhishek Sharma chipped in with a brisk 42 before falling to Yuzvendra Chahal.

Mid-Innings Wobble

RR fought back in the middle overs. Ravichandran Ashwin picked up two quick wickets, including the dangerous Heinrich Klaasen, who departed for 15. At 140/4, the match looked like it could swing either way.

The Closing Act

The hero of the night for Hyderabad was Nitish Kumar Reddy. His calm demeanor under pressure allowed him to anchor the chase. Accompanied by Abdul Samad, Reddy targeted the shorter boundaries.

• The 19th Over: SRH needed 24 runs off the last two overs. Avesh Khan conceded 16 runs in the 19th over, including two boundaries by Samad.
• The Final Over: With 8 needed off the last 6 balls, Nitish Kumar Reddy finished the game with a majestic six over long-on, sealing a 5-wicket victory with 3 balls to spare.

Key Player Performances

Player Team Contribution

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi RR 102 (58) - Maiden IPL Century

Nitish Kumar Reddy SRH 58* (32) - Match-winning knock

Pat Cummins SRH 2/32 - Crucial breakthroughs

Yuzvendra Chahal RR 2/28 - Economic spell

Impact on the IPL 2026 Points Table

This victory propels Sunrisers Hyderabad into the top four, strengthening their bid for the playoffs. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals will need to address their death-bowling concerns despite having one of the most exciting young talents in the world in their ranks.

What’s Next?

Rajasthan Royals will look to bounce back when they face Punjab Kings on April 28, while SRH continues their momentum in their next fixture.