Cricket Prediction | RCB vs SRH | IPL 2025 | 65th Match | May 23 – Can RCB Leapfrog GT to the Top with a Big Win Over SRH?

RCB vs SRH Match Analysis

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru will lock horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad in Match 65 of IPL 2025, scheduled to be played at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. The match kicks off at 7:30 PM IST under the floodlights.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru have shown resilience this season, led by the fiery form of Virat Kohli and Phil Salt. Their batting line-up has gelled well, with power-hitters and finishers stepping up at the right moments.

Sunrisers Hyderabad, under the leadership of Pat Cummins, have surprised many with their fearless brand of cricket. Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen are absolutely on fire at the top! Add in a squad that balances fresh faces with wise old heads, and you’ve got a team that could surprise a few people as the tournament heats up.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad Team Preview & Squads

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Rajat Patidar, the newly appointed RCB skipper, has taken the reins with quiet confidence. While not as flamboyant as his predecessor, his tactical acumen has been commendable. He has focused on utilizing RCB’s deep bench strength effectively.

RCB’s batting order looks formidable with Virat Kohli providing stability and Phil Salt’s aggression at the top. Livingstone and David can launch it into orbit in the middle overs, and with Shepherd and Krunal cleaning up at the end, this team’s got late-innings fireworks covered.

RCB boasts a diverse bowling attack featuring express pace from Josh Hazlewood and Lungi Ngidi, and the swing of Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Suyash Sharma and Krunal Pandya provide spin options suited for slower pitches.

Last time they faced CSK (Match 52 on May 3), RCB just about held their nerve to win by 2 runs in an absolute nail-biter. They posted an imposing 213/5 with stellar contributions from Phil Salt and Livingstone. Despite a spirited chase by CSK, RCB’s bowlers held their nerve at the death.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Squad

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Squad

Rajat Patidar (c), Abhinandan Singh, Mayank Agarwal, Jacob Bethell, Manoj Bhandage, Swastik Chikara, Tim David, Josh Hazlewood, Virat Kohli, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Liam Livingstone, Mohit Rathee, Lungi Ngidi, Krunal Pandya, Rasikh Salam, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Romario Shepherd, Suyash Sharma, Swapnil Singh, Nuwan Thushara, Yash Dayal

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Pat Cummins might be cool as ice, but don’t let that fool you — the Aussie quick is leading the Sunrisers with quiet confidence and just the right dose of aggression. His ability to inspire the team with key spells and strategic leadership has brought structure to the squad.

SRH’s batting is firing on all cylinders with Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma consistently giving explosive starts. Klaasen and Kishan bring firepower and stability to the middle overs, making the lineup tougher to crack.

Their bowling line-up, led by Cummins and Mohammed Shami, brings serious pace and experience. Rahul Chahar adds variety with spin, while Harshal Patel and Jaydev Unadkat offer control in the middle overs.

In their most recent match (61st Match, May 19), Sunrisers Hyderabad had a 6-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants. Chasing a big target of 206 runs, Travis Head and Klaasen blew past us in 18.2 overs. The chase was a serious force as they displayed their hitting ability.

Sunrisers Hyderabad Squad

Sunrisers Hyderabad Squad

Pat Cummins (c), Abhishek Sharma, Rahul Chahar, Harsh Dubey, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (wk), Heinrich Klaasen, Eshan Malinga, Abhinav Manohar, Kamindu Mendis, Mohammed Shami, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshal Patel, Sachin Baby, Simarjeet Singh, Atharva Taide, Jaydev Unadkat, Aniket Verma, Zeeshan Ansari

RCB vs SRH Outfield Report

Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow

The Ekana Stadium surface in Lucknow has traditionally assisted slower bowlers and spinners. It tends to offer variable bounce and grip, especially in the second innings. Batting becomes slightly tougher as the game progresses, making first-innings runs valuable.

The weather in Lucknow is expected to be clear on May 23, with temperatures hovering around 34°C in the evening. Humidity will be moderate, around 45-50%, offering minimal swing early on.

Scores of 170–180 have been competitive at this venue when batting first. At this ground, the highest IPL team total is 199, and the lowest target anyone’s managed to defend is 152. Teams winning the toss may prefer to bat first and apply scoreboard pressure.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad Head-to-Head Stats of Last 5 Matches

In their last five encounters, Sunrisers Hyderabad have won 3, while RCB have claimed 2 victories.

RCB vs SRH Prediction

According to cricket analysts Royal Challengers Bengaluru have a 53% chance of Winning.