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Explosive top orders in focus as Rajasthan Royals face bogey team Sunrisers Hyderabad
Sunrisers Hyderabad’s IPL 2026 was going nowhere four games into the season. They had won just one game, their bowling looked clueless, their batting over-dependent on the top order and their regular captain was still recovering from an injury. Then they met Rajasthan Royals and a season turnaround ensued. They defeated RR by 57 runs and began their journey of five straight wins which lifted them from the lower half of the points table to playoff contention.
RR’s season began with four straight wins, with everything falling into place. Then came a dip, which began with that defeat against SRH and ultimately reached a stage where RR had to overcome two near must-win games to reach the playoffs. One might argue that having played two high-pressure games, RR are better placed coming into the eliminator as opposed to SRH, who haven’t really faced any knockout anxiety. But SRH have been the more consistent of the two teams and will bank on in-form players to get the job done in New Chandigarh.
The eliminator might end up being about the battle of the top order. The last time Vaibhav Sooriyavanshi faced SRH, he crashed a 37 ball 103 in Jaipur, despite which RR ended on the losing side. RR are the fastest scoring team in the powerplay so far this season, going at 11.5 an over. In second place are SRH, who are going at 11.02 in this phase. While Travishek as an opening duo hasn’t ticked consistently, Abhishek Sharma (563 runs), Ishan Kishan (569 runs) and Heinrich Klaasen (606 runs) are all enjoying remarkable seasons. If Abhishek and Kishan can score 37 and 31 runs respectively in the eliminator, this would be the first time that three batters from the same team would have crossed the 600-mark in a season.
SRH have defeated RR both times so far this season: by 57 runs in Hyderabad, where they defended 216 and by five wickets in Jaipur, where they chased 229 with nine balls to spare. SRH are currently on a six-match winning streak against RR and a win in the eliminator will make it their best-ever streak against an opponent in the IPL. RR are unbeaten in New Chandigarh – three wins out of three. Who makes it to Qualifier 2?
RR captain Riyan Parag has been down with a hamstring injury, while Ravindra Jadeja is also struggling with an injury. Parag, who had missed an earlier group game, suggested that he wasn’t even supposed to play RR’s final match against Mumbai Indians but would “of course” play the eliminator. Jadeja, meanwhile, came in as an Impact Player, batting at No. 9 and bowled two wicketless overs for 24, with Kumar Sangakkara later stating that Jadeja has “been nursing an injury.” Both players are, however, expected to play the SRH game.
Rajasthan Royals (probable): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (capt), Donovan Ferreira, Shubham Dubey, Ravindra Jadeja, Dasun Shanaka, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Yash Raj Punja, Brijesh Sharma
There are no injury concerns on the SRH front. Harshal Patel played the last game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru and there could be a toss-up between him and Praful Hinge for the final spot.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (probable): Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (wk), Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, R Smaran, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Pat Cummins (capt), Shivang Kumar, Eshan Malinga, Sakib Hussain, Harshal Patel/ Praful Hinge
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to appoint Ms. P. M. Jayadeera (Engineer) in the Special Grade of Sri Lanka Engineering Service serving at present as the Additional Secretary (Water Resources Development) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to the post of Director General which will be vacant from 06.10.2026.
Approval has been granted at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers held on 08.06.2026 to prepare a draft bill for restructuring Sri Lanka Cricket.
Accordingly, the Legal Draftsman has formulated Sri Lanka draft bill providing legal provisions for the administration of Sri
Lanka Cricket, control, regulation, promotion, establishment of Sri Lanka Cricket for the development and administration, through the concepts of better governance, integrity, transparency, accountability, inclusiveness and providing equal opportunities for the betterment of the cricket sport, establishment of Sri Lanka Cricket for securing the wellbeing of all participants and securing cricket from corruption and other mal practices.
Clearance of the Attorney General has been received for the said draft bill. Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers has been received for the resolution furnished by the Minister of
Youth Affairs and Sports to publish the said draft bill in the government gazette notification and thereby forward the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Latest News
Appointment of Cabinet Sub-Committee for the Organization of 79th Independence Day Commemoration
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Council, and Local Government to appoint a Cabinet Sub-Committee chaired by the Prime Minister and with the participation of relevant Ministers, to organize and direct the affairs of the country’s 79th Independence Day Commemoration
Ceremony, which falls on 2027-02-04.
Ms. P. M. Jayadeera (Engineer) appointed Director General of Irrigation
Sri Lanka Cricket Draft Bill to be gazetted
Cabinet approves purchase of machinery for the Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation
Cabinet approval for Project to Build Secure, Skilled, and Empowered Community for families resettled at the at Kalinga Mawatha, housing scheme
Appointment of Cabinet Sub-Committee for the Organization of 79th Independence Day Commemoration
Establishment of New Management Framework for the Dr. Nevil Fernando Hospital
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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