🏏IPL 2025 - Match 65: RCB vs SRH on 23rd May 2025 at Lucknow 🏏

🏏IPL 2025 - Match 65: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad on 23rd May 2025 at Lucknow from 7:30pm onwards 🏏

Royal Challengers Bengaluru continue their ongoing IPL 2025 campaign by taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad. Both sides will face off in the 65th game of the tournament at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Friday, May 23. Notably, this game was earlier scheduled to be played in Bengaluru, but was moved to Lucknow due to adverse weather conitions in South India.

Rajat Patidar-led side confirmed their playoff berth after the Gujarat Titans' victory against Delhi Capitals. Currently holding the second spot in the tally with 17 points, the 2016 finalists hope to win their remaining two games for a top-two finish and have a better chance at reaching the finals.

On the other hand, SRH were the third team to be eliminated from the season. However, the previous edition runners-up will be looking to play their final two games without any pressure and hope to spoil the party of RCB. Notably, they are coming off a win over Lucknow Super Giants.

Preview

The first set of IPL 2025 challenges is done and dusted. The playoff contenders are locked in; the eliminated sides have been cast aside. Now begins the next phase, a jostle for the top two spots. Royal Challengers Bengaluru, among the strongest contenders, head into their penultimate league game with that in mind. The catch? They haven't taken the field in nearly 20 days.

They'll have to shake off the rust against a Sunrisers Hyderabad side that has imploded more often than they'd have liked. Yet, even in a season where little has clicked, SRH have shown flashes, beating some of the tournament's top teams on their day. With four wins from 12 games, they have little left to play for, except pride, and maybe two more consolation victories to sign off.

The Ekana Stadium, a late replacement for this fixture after persistent rain threats in Bengaluru, has served up a mixed bag. When SRH last played here, they chased down a 200-plus total with ease. But typically, Lucknow has dished out slow, low-bounce surfaces that produce middling scores, not quite the ideal setting for two batting-heavy sides who last year played out a 287 vs 262 slugfest. Still, this unfamiliar ground could offer a different kind of contest, slower, tighter, and potentially, more intriguing.

When: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Friday, May 23, 7:30 PM IST

Where: Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow

What to expect: Usually, the surfaces in Lucknow have aided the slower bowlers and the batters have had to adjust to the slowish surfaces. Neither team boasts of a strong spin attack or one suited for slower surfaces.

Head to head: RCB 11-13 SRH. The last five games between these sides have been edged 3-2 by RCB.

Team Watch:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Injuries/Unavailability: Rajat Patidar is likely to be available for the clash after having sustained a hand injury before the break.

Tactics & Matchups: In the absence of Josh Hazlewood, the mantle of leading RCB's impressive bowling attack will have to be borne by Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He'll be up against a team he represented for 11 years until 2024. Bhuvneshwar already has one wicket (12) more than his tally from last season, despite playing six fewer games.

Probable XII: Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Jacob Bethell, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rasikh Salam, Yash Dayal, Suyash Sharma

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Injuries/Unavailability: Travis Head tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the game against LSG. His availability for the clash against RCB remains uncertain

Tactics & Matchups: Even though he has played only 5 games so far, Eshan Malinga is SRH's third highest wicket taker behind Harshal (15) and Cummins (13) and only Jaydev Unadkat boasts a better strike-rate. Five of the slinger's nine wickets have come with the fuller length delivery.

Probable XII: Atharva Taide, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Heinrich Klaasen, Kamindu Mendis, Aniket Verma, Nitish Reddy, Pat Cummins, Harshal Patel, Harsh Dubey, Zeeshan Ansari, Eshan Malinga

In the spotlight

Rajat Patidar's form had dipped significantly before the IPL took a pause, averaging just 10.6 in his last five innings, compared to 37.2 in his first five games. Heading to Lucknow, Patidar can take solace in the fact that his away form has been far more promising than his form in Bengaluru, where he has averaged just 14.4 at a strike rate of 101. Both his half-centuries have come on the road, where his strike rate is 169. While a hand injury had only added to his growing concerns, the extended break has allowed him ample time to recover.

It's been a frustrating season for Travis Head, whose average has dropped from 40.5 in 2024 to 28.1 this year. The once-feared opening pair of Head and Abishek Sharma, dubbed Travishek, hasn't had the same impact, with their average falling from 49.4 to 36.5. Apart from a 171-run stand in the season opener, they have struggled to make a mark. Now fully recovered from Covid, can Head rejoin Abishek to deliver a parting gift for SRH fans in the remaining games?

Did you know?

- RCB are unbeaten in six away games this season, although this is statistically a home game for them.

- SRH have conceded 19 200+ scores since 2022 - the most for any time.

- Three of the five players with most sixes since the start of IPL 2024 - Virat Kohli (56), Heinrich Klaasen (52) and Abhishek Sharma (65) - will be in action tomorrow.

Pitch and conditions

The LSG-SRH game three nights ago was played on a black-soil deck. Friday's fixture will be played on a red-soil pitch at RCB's preference, as they are the home team. That means more bounce and carry, and a possibility of sharp turn. RCB also have the advantage of significant intel on the venue, with Andy Flower having coached LSG for two seasons, and Krunal Pandya having played under him.

Stats and trivia

• Kohli is one away from surpassing David Warner (62) for the most half-centuries in IPL history. Kohli comes in on the back of four consecutive 50-plus scores.
• RCB's economy of 10.2 is the second-best among all teams in the death overs.
• Since starting the season with a century, Ishan Kishan has averaged just 13.9 and crossed 30 only twice in ten games.
• SRH have taken the least wickets by a spin unit (ten) while also having the highest economy (10) for this variety.
• Tim David's 11 sixes are the most by a batter between overs 17-20 this season. It mirrors RCB's death-overs scoring, which is the highest (12.4) for any team.

What they said:

"We have got a good record away. We have been able to flex for the away conditions really well, so I am backing our players to do that again tomorrow. So, we are okay playing here in Lucknow." - Andy Flower

Probable Best Batter of the Match

Virat Kohli in nets (Source: RCB)

RCB's Virat Kohli could be the best batter in the upcoming game against SRH. With 505 runs in his last 11 games, Kohli has been in impeccable form, and his knock could be key against SRH as RCB eye a top-two finish. The 36-year-old is coming off four consecutive fifty-plus scores and will look to add another one to his tally.

Probable Best Bowler of the Match

Pat-Cummins-and-Abhishek-Sharma. (Photo source: X/IPL)

Pat Cummins could be the best bowler in the upcoming game. With 13 wickets in his last 12 matches, Cummins has had a decent season for SRH, and he will look to give his best in his side's final remaining games. The Aussie pacer in the previous game against LSG went wicketless but made sure to contain the opposition batters in the death overs.