RCB Vs SRH, IPL 2026: Aniket Verma Makes Mark With Late Cameo, Propels SunRisers Past 200

A finish with a flourish, thanks to Aniket Verma's onslaught, helped SunRisers Hyderabad set a 202-run target for defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League 2026 opener at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday (March 28, 2026).

Asked to bat first, SRH's innings was marked by the ebb and flow of modern-day cricket, best defined by T20.

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The top order, featuring the famed Travis Head-Abhishek Sharma opening pair, struggled, and they lost three wickets for 29 runs in five overs.

However, the arrival of skipper Ishan Kishan and his fourth-wicket stand with Heinrich Klaasen, 97 in 53, seemed to have shifted the momentum. But Phil Salt's sensational catches to dismiss the SRH duo once again put the hosts on top.

Then entered Aniket Verma.

The 24-year-old from Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh produced a career-defining knock. Laced with four sixes and three fours, the right-hander hit 43 off 18.

"I'm happy that the team total crossed 200, and hopefully we can defend it," Verma told official broadcasters at innings break. "From the very first shot, I had a feeling that today might be my day."

Picked by SRH at the IPL 2025 mega auction, the youngster played 14 matches last season and hit a career-best 74 off 41, with six sixes.