NEW DELHI: The stage is set for a high-stakes IPL 2026 Eliminator as Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) take on Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur on Tuesday. The winner of this clash will move on to Qualifier 2, while the losing side will be eliminated from the tournament.
Road to the Eliminator
Rajasthan Royals appeared to be on the verge of missing the playoffs after a string of defeats. However, consecutive victories against the bottom-placed teams kept their campaign alive. Sunrisers Hyderabad, on the other hand, narrowly missed out on a top-two finish. A heavy defeat against Gujarat Titans proved costly, affecting their net run rate and pushing them into the Eliminator.
Historical Context
The stakes could not be higher. History is also stacked against both teams. Only one side in IPL history has gone on to win the title after playing the Eliminator: Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016. SRH fans will hope lightning strikes twice. The rivalry has tilted heavily in Hyderabad's favor in recent years, with SRH winning six straight matches against RR since 2022. Overall, SRH hold a clear edge in the head-to-head battle, leading 14-9 in 23 matches.
Key Players to Watch
The spotlight will firmly be on the clash between Travis Head and Jofra Archer in the Powerplay. Head has scored quickly against Archer in T20 cricket, but the RR pacer has dismissed him three times and remains one of the most dangerous new-ball bowlers this season. For Rajasthan Royals, captain Riyan Parag will carry huge responsibility in the middle order despite concerns over fitness. RR will also rely heavily on Archer's pace and the explosive starts from teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Sunrisers Hyderabad's batting firepower remains their biggest weapon. Abhishek Sharma, Head, and Heinrich Klaasen can dismantle attacks quickly, while skipper Pat Cummins and Harshal Patel could prove decisive with the ball.
SRH vs RR Head-to-Head
- Matches played: 23
- SRH won: 14
- RR won: 9
Pitch Report
The Mullanpur surface has consistently produced high-scoring games this season. Pitch No. 4, the strip expected to be used for the Eliminator, previously saw Punjab Kings post 219 against SRH, only for the total to be chased down comfortably. The average first-innings score at the venue this season is around 214, and six of the eight completed innings here have crossed the 200-run mark. While fast bowlers have leaked runs, spinners have enjoyed slightly better control in the middle overs. Teams batting first are likely to target another 200-plus total, though dew later in the evening could once again favor chasing sides.
Weather Update
Conditions in New Chandigarh are expected to remain extremely hot, with temperatures staying above 40 degrees Celsius through the evening. Humidity is likely to stay moderate, and there is no major rain threat forecast around match time. The dry conditions and hard surface should aid stroke-making throughout the contest.
Predicted Playing XIs
Sunrisers Hyderabad (Playing XI):
- Abhishek Sharma
- Travis Head
- Ishan Kishan (wk)
- Heinrich Klaasen
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Salil Arora
- Smaran Ravichandran
- Pat Cummins (c)
- Harshal Patel
- Eshan Malinga
- Sakib Hussain
Impact Player: Kamindu Mendis
Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI):
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
- Dhruv Jurel (wk)
- Riyan Parag (c)
- Dasun Shanaka
- Donovan Ferreira
- Shubham Dubey
- Jofra Archer
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Nandre Burger
- Yash Raj Punja
Impact Player: Ravi Bishnoi
Live Streaming Details
The SRH vs RR Eliminator will be played at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh. The match will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network, while live streaming will be available on JioHotstar.
Toss Timing
The toss for today's IPL Eliminator between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals will take place at 7:00 PM IST, while the match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM IST.
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