Most Memorable Matches: RCB vs SRH
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have been a part of some of the most jaw-dropping matches in the history of Indian Premier League (IPL). From their first win at home against Deccan Chargers (defunct) to the last ball thriller match against Chennai Super Kings in 2019, fans have witnessed many glorious matches in the 12 seasons gone by.
Here are 3 of the best matches when RCB faced off against the SRH in the previous seasons
Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Royal Challengers Bangalore 2015, Hyderabad
15 May 2015: Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) hosted RCB at home in the 52nd match of the 8th season of IPL. The race for the playoffs had begun with both RCB and SRH eyeing the spot. SRH captain David Warner won the toss and elected to bat. It began to drizzle and heavy rains followed soon after, delaying the start of the match. When it finally stopped raining, the revised conditions made it a 11-over a side encounter.
David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan started the innings for SRH. RCB’s David Weise got the early breakthrough in the form of Shikhar Dhawan. It was Moises Henriques who joined their captain at the crease, and the duo put up a 103-run partnership. With half-centuries from both, SRH put up a formidable 135/3 from their 11 overs.
Unfortunately, rain played spoilsport again, reducing the game even further. The revised target for RCB was 81 runs in 6 overs. Chris Gayle and RCB skipper Virat Kohli began the run chase. Unfortunately, on 35, with a massive strike rate of 350+, Gayle tried to force one over the fence but was caught on the boundary by Shikhar Dhawan. Moises Henriques got the crucial breakthrough for SRH against his former side as he picked up two wickets in two balls which also included the all-important wicket of AB de Villiers.
Virat Kohli shifted gears immediately and with some exceptional clean hitting brought the equation down to 13 runs from the last 6 balls. Bhuvaneshwar Kumar was given the responsibility to bowl the last over of the match and started off well, dismissing Dinesh Karthik on the second ball.
But Captain Kohli had other plans, smashing boundaries of consecutive deliveries which swung the game back in favour of the visitors. With 4 runs required off the last 2 balls, Kohli lofted one straight down the ground. In one of the most dramatic ends to a game ever seen, David Warner caught the ball but stepped on the boundary line forcing the umpire to declare a six. A fitting finish to what had literally been an edge-of-the-seat encounter.
Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad 2016, Bengaluru
12 April 2016: RCB hosted SRH in their first match of the IPL season 9. SRH had won the toss and decided to field.
One of the most destructive batting pairs in the IPL, RCB skipper Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle opened the innings for RCB. Indian speedster, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar who was in a rich vein of form got the early breakthrough for his side in the form of Chris Gayle. AB de Villiers walked into the crease and launched an onslaught with the RCB skipper. The duo stitched a massive 157-run partnership, with both registering their half-centuries. After losing the wickets of both Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, the youngster Sarfaraz Khan walked in and played one of the finest cameos scoring 35 runs with an incredible strike rate of 350. This helped RCB put up a massive total of 227 on the board.
In reply to RCB’s big target, SRH captain David Warner along with Shikhar Dhawan began their run chase. SRH lost early wickets in the form of Shikhar Dhawan and Moises Henriques but, David Warner went on and brought up his half-century. Shane Watson delivered the all-important wicket of David Warner. The rest of the SRH batsmen couldn’t contribute much as the target was too big resulting in RCB’s 45-run win.
Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad 2019, Bengaluru
4 May 2019: RCB hosted SRH in their last match of the IPL season 12 at home. SRH were desperately looking for a win to make it to the playoffs. RCB won the toss and opted to field first.
Wriddhiman Saha and Martin Guptill got off to a brisk start against the hosts scoring at a rate of 10 runs an over. Navdeep Saini got the much needed wicket of Saha which soon led to the fall of Guptill. While all the SRH batsmen were departing at regular intervals, SRH captain Kane Willaimson stood-up to the RCB bowling unit and held fort at one end. Yuzvendra Chahal scalped his 100th wicket in IPL for RCB by dismissing Yusuf Pathan. Williamson remained not-out on 70 off 43 deliveries which helped SRH to put up 175 runs on the board.
Bhuvaneshwar Kumar struck early for SRH as he dismissed Parthiv Patel, followed by Khaleel Ahmed’s big wicket of RCB skipper Virat Kohli. AB de Villiers who had come to the crease also departed which silenced the crowd at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The sea of red was absolutely shocked to see RCB down by 3 wickets for 20 runs. Shimron Hetmyer was joined by Gurkeerat Singh Mann in the middle as the duo stitched a fighting partnership. Hetmyer with his counter-attack brought up his maiden IPL half-century and the duo completed a 100-run stand. The stand by Hetmyer and Gurkeerat was the first 100-plus partnership for RCB outside of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, since the 102 run stand between Chris Gayle and Cheteshwar Pujara against KXIP in Mohali in 2013.
Gurkeerat too brought up his first fifty for RCB, and they eventually pulled off a 4 wicket win with 4 balls to spare.
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