Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) opener Venkatesh Iyer played a blistering cameo against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their IPL 2026 clash before youngster Eshan Malinga ended his entertaining knock during the massive 256-run chase in Hyderabad. Opening the innings alongside Virat Kohli, Venkatesh Iyer attacked the SRH bowlers from the very beginning and gave RCB the aggressive start they desperately needed.
The left-handed batter looked in complete control and was on course for a half-century before falling for a quickfire 44 off just 19 balls. His explosive innings included four boundaries and four sixes, with the experienced batter maintaining pressure on the SRH bowling attack throughout the powerplay. The breakthrough finally came on the third ball of the fifth over when Eshan Malinga forced a false shot.
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Attempting a pull shot against a short delivery, Venkatesh failed to time the ball properly as it travelled towards wide long-on, where Abhishek Sharma completed a safe catch. RCB lost their first wicket at 60, but Venkatesh had already provided crucial momentum in the challenging chase.
Trading the V’s for the W’s 😉#SRH send both openers back in the dugout 👊
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/ZcxjefgalG#TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #SRHvRCB | @SunRisers pic.twitter.com/7ULHdm0Rq0
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 22, 2026
The 31-year-old was promoted to open the innings after England batter Jacob Bethell missed the game due to a finger injury. RCB captain Rajat Patidar confirmed Bethell’s absence at the toss before the match. Interestingly, Bethell had earlier replaced injured opener Phil Salt but struggled to make a major impact at the top of the order.
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Venkatesh, however, grabbed the opportunity with both hands and once again delivered an impressive performance. In RCB’s previous outing against Punjab Kings, he smashed an unbeaten 73 to guide the team to victory. During the partnership, Virat Kohli also achieved another major milestone in men’s T20 cricket by registering the most 50-plus opening stands in the format.
