The Sunrisers Hyderabad play their second game at home, as they will take on an in-form Rajasthan Royals at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Match 21 of the 2026 Indian Premier League on April 13.
The Sunrisers come into this fixture on the back of their third loss as they failed to defend 220 against the Punjab Kings. Their openers, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, provided a blistering start with a 120-run stand off just 49 balls. But they were unable to capitalise on the start as they scored just 99 runs from the next 71 balls. They have lost their last two games and will be looking to change their fortunes.
The Rajasthan Royals are the form team in the tournament and have a 100% record in 2026. They beat the defending champions, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, in their previous match and will be looking to continue their run. They have ridden on the back of brilliant bowling displays and batting prowess carried by 15-year-old Vaiibhav Sooryavanshi.
Pitch Report
The wicket at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium was on the slower side in the first game, with players needing to bide their time to score runs. Over the years, the pitch has favoured teams that bat first, with chasing teams being dented due to the slowness in the second innings. But that trend has changed, with chasing teams gaining significant edge as the wickets have become flatter. Dew is not expected to play a significant role.
IPL Stats and Records at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium
| Matches Played |
84 |
| Matches Won Batting First |
35 |
| Matches Won Batting Second | 47 |
| Matches With No Result | 01 |
| Matches Tied | 01 |
| Average First Innings Score | 166 |
| Highest Team Total | 286 |
| Highest Total Successfully Chased | 245 |
Strategies and match-ups
The Sunrisers will have to keep the opening pair of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal quiet, which is going to be difficult with how Sunrisers’ bowling attack has fared this season. On the other hand, the Royals have found balance with their bowling attack, dominating matchups in all phases of the innings.
The two teems will meet in the IPL for the 22nd time. The matchup has marginally favoured the Sunrisers, who have won 12 of the previous encounters, compared to the Royals’ nine. Sunrisers have won four of the last five games against Royals. This fixture in 2025 saw the Sunrisers score 286, the highest total in IPL history.
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