He starts with a low full toss which Shankar drives to mid-off for a quick run and Pandey drives the next through the covers for one.

A single to Shankar as he pulls a short ball through midwicket before Pandey tries the pull but is beaten and he offers no shot to the next.

However, he makes up for the two dot balls as he lofts the last ball over midwicket for a six.

With 15 needed from three overs for victory, Stokes comes back into the attack.

Shankar has a wild swing but misses before he takes a single off the next.

Stokes then goes for the slower ball but bowls a wide down the leg side and Sunrisers get another extra run as wicketkeeper Samson fails to collect it cleanly.

Pandey continues to find the boundaries as he whips Stokes over midwicket for a six using his wrists to good effect.

Just three runs needed from two overs for victory as Shankar finishes off things in some style.

He pulls Tyagi for a boundary over midwicket to complete his fifty from 51 balls as Sunrisers cruise to an emphatic eight-win victory, with 11 balls to spare.

Pandey finishes unbeaten on a splendid 83 from 47 balls, having hit eight sixes and four fours, as his attacking innings took the game away from Royals' grasp. He put on an unbroken stand of 140 runs from 93 balls for the third wicket to take SRH to victory and keep them in the hunt for the play-offs.

Pandey then pulls a short ball to deep midwicket for one and Shankar strokes a full delivery down to long-on for one to raise the 100-run stand for the third wicket from just 74 balls.

A single to Pandey through the covers before Shankar clips the last ball through square leg for another run.

Sunrisers reach 118-2 in 15 overs, with another 37 needed from five overs for victory.

Shankar had grown in confidence with time spent at the crease as he cuts loose against Archer. He shows some class as he makes room and hammers Archer over mid-off for a four.

The fast bowler is again on the shorter side as this time Shankar lofts it over mid-on for another boundary.

Archer goes for the yorker but misses his length as Shankar lofts the overpitched delivery straight back over the bowler's head to make it a hat-trick of fours.

Archer goes short as Shankar tries the ramp shot but is beaten before he tries it again next ball and misses yet again and he keeps strike with one from the last ball.

13 runs from the 16th over is a decisive blow for Royals' hopes as Sunrisers are sitting pretty on 131-2, with 24 needed from four overs for victory.

Archer, who bowled a wonderful first spell, finishes with 2-21 in four overs.

Shankar plays the inside out lofted shot for two runs and then hits the third ball to long-off for a single.

A single each to Pandey and Shankar before the former chips down the track and lofts Tewatia straight down the ground for a six, to get 11 runs from the over as SRH go past the 100-run mark, in the 13th over.

Gopal, who has one over in hand, comes back into the attack.

Shankar clips the first ball on the leg side for a single before he lofts the third ball over the covers for a single.

Three more singles as Gopal does well to concede just five runs in his final over.

The match is set for a thrilling finish as Sunrisers reach 113-2 in 14 overs, needing 42 from six overs for victory.

He takes a single before Shankar finally cuts loose as he plays the inside out lofted shot over the covers for a four.

Gopal makes the mistake of bowling another wide flighted delivery and Shankar repeats the shot for another boundary wide of long-off.

This has not been a good outing with the ball for Gopal, who has been hit for 27 runs in first three overs.

A desperate Royals bring back Archer to make a breakthrough as Pandey and Shankar have put Sunrisers in pole position.

Pandey picks a single off the first ball through the covers before Shankar defends the next two balls and then tries to slash it over point but is beaten.

Archer bowls a good bouncer on the body as Shankar somehow avoids it before the umpire rules it a wide and the right-hander keeps strike with one from the last ball.

Sunrisers are 97-2 in 12 overs, with 58 needed from eight overs for victory.

Another couple of dot balls before Pandey pulls a short ball over midwicket for a six.

He then takes a single to long-off from the last ball to race to his fifty from just 28 balls.

This has been a stunning counter-attack from Pandey, hitting five sixes and three fours, to revive SRH after the openers had perished early.

A short ball from Tewatia which doesn't bounce as much and Pandey is hit on the pads trying to play the pull shot and he then takes a single to long-on.

Shankar continues to be watchful as he keeps out the next two balls followed by singles off the last two balls, as Tewatia concedes just three runs from his second over.

At the halfway stage, Sunrisers are 79-2 in 10 overs, needing another 76 from the remaining 10 overs for victory.

Pandey has stroked his way to 52 from 31 balls, but Shankar has struggled at the other end to score just 10 from 18 balls.

Spin introduced as Shreyas Gopal comes into the attack.

Shankar defends the first ball before he hits the next through the covers for a single and Pandey gets the third ball through the same region for another single.

Two more singles as Gopal makes a tidy start, giving away four runs from the opening over.

Leg-spinners from both ends as Rahul Tewatia comes into the attack from the other end.

Pandey pulls the first ball to deep midwicket for a single and Shankar clips the second ball through square leg for two runs and then takes one to long-off, to raise the 50-run stand for the third wicket from 30 balls.

Singles from the last two balls as SRH reach 68-2 in eight overs.

Shankar taps the second ball to point for a single before Pandey clips a full delivery over the square leg boundary for a six as he looks to adopt a positive approach with the bat and make most of the Powerplay.

Two balls later, Pandey pulls a short ball over midwicket for another six as Stokes goes for 13 runs in his first over.

Tyagi to continue as he starts his second over with a wide, like he did in his first over, before Shankar guides a wide delivery to thirdman for a single.

Pandey continues to attack as he hammers a length ball from Tyagi over mid-off for a four.

The right-hander then swings a short ball over midwicket for a six before he lofts a full delivery over long-on for another six, to get 18 from the over.

Pandey has smashed his way to 39 from 19 balls, to rally Sunrisers to 58-2 in six overs. They need another 97 runs from 14 overs for victory at just under seven per over.

He then hits the next ball to mid-on and rushes across for a quick run but Uthappa misses the direct hit by a long way.

Archer then produces a beauty to clean up Bairstow for 10. The incoming delivery bowled at 149 kmph goes through the gap between bat and pad to leave the stumps in a mess.

Vijay Shankar watchfully keeps out the last two balls as Archer ends another successful over, he has taken 2-5 in two overs, to leave SRH struggling on 16-2 in three overs.

The young Kartik Tyagi is called into the attack, to bowl the fourth over.

He starts with a leg side wide before Pandey crashes a wide delivery through the covers for a four.

The next ball is again wide as Pandey gets it again through the covers for another boundary before he gets another couple through the same region off the fifth ball to take SRH to 27-2 in four overs.

On the other hand, David Warner and Jonny Bairstow would be looking for a good partnership and lay solid foundation for their team.

Archer starts off with a cracking delivery, some extra bounce and movement, as Warner pokes and is beaten outside the off-stump and he is beaten again next ball as he is all squared up.

Warner then throws his bat to a wide delivery as he gets the edge this time but it flies over the slips for a four.

However, Archer gets his man off the very next delivery. He gets the ball to move away enough to take the edge and Ben Stokes at second slip takes a brilliant catch diving to his left. Infact, captain Steve Smith deserves a lot of credit for having a man at second slip.

Manish Pandey gets a bouncer first up which he leaves alone and then blocks the last ball, to end a fantastic opening over from Archer.

Ankit Rajpoot comes into the attack from the other end.

The first ball is short and wide as Bairstow punches it through the covers for a four before he tries to slog the next over the leg side but is beaten by the change of pace.

Bairstow then top edges the pull shot which carries all the way over the fence behind the wicketkeeper for a six.

The pacer then goes full but slips it down the leg side for a wide before Bairstow plays out the last two balls. SRH are 15-1 in two overs.

Sandeep comes back into the attack.

Parag can't find the gap off the first ball as he hits it into the off-side before he pushes the next through midwicket for two runs.

Parag then misses the glance as the ball brushes his pads and is taken by wicketkeeper Bairstow but the appeal for catch down the leg side is turned down.

A single each to Smith and Parag off the last two deliveries as Sharma concedes just five runs in the 17th over to build up some pressure.

Natarajan, who has the ability to bowl yorkers at the end, comes back into the attack.

Parag steers the first ball past point for a single and Smith keeps out the yorker for just one.

Expecting another yorker, Parag then shuffles across and paddles the full delivery over short fine leg for a four. The pacer goes wide as Parag hits it over the covers for a six before he makes room and slices the fifth ball over short thirdman for a four.

He gets the yorker right off the last ball as Parag can only defend it back to the bowler.

Natarajan goes for 16 runs ins his third over as Royals reach 134-4 in 18 overs.

Buttler picks a single from the first ball before Smith sweeps the next through midwicket for two runs.

Smith defends the third ball into the covers before he tries the slog sweep but is beaten by the quicker delivery from Rashid as he gets the inside edge on to the pads.

Smith then takes a single on the leg side before Buttler taps the last ball through midwicket and picks two easy runs.

Rashid goes for six in his final over, to finish with good figures of 1-20 in four overs.

Royals are 105-3 in 15 overs, with Smith on 10 and Buttler on nine. They need a strong finish to post a total around the 175-run mark.

Shankar, who has two overs in hand, is called back into the attack.

Smith swings the first ball over midwicket for a four and then takes a single off the next through the off-side.

Shankar then strikes with the big wicket of Buttler, who is caught by Nadeem at point for nine as Royals find themselves in a spot of bother on 110-4, in the 16th over.

That was good bowling from Shankar as he saw Buttler coming down the track and bowled it a bit wide as the right-hander ended up slicing it to the fielder at point.

Riyan Parag gets off the mark with a single before Smith steers a full delivery past point for two runs.

He strikes with the wicket of Stokes, who plays all over a full delivery and is bowled after a sedate innings of 30 from 32 balls as Royals lose two wickets in the space of four balls to lose the initiative.

Steve Smith gets off the mark with a single to long-on and Buttler clips the fourth ball through midwicket for two runs and then picks a single off the last ball.

Left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem, playing in only his second match of IPL 2020, comes into the attack to bowl the 14th over.

Smith and Buttler keep the scoreboard ticking with singles from the first five balls before the former cuts the last ball uppishly past point for a four as Royals reach 99-3 in 14 overs.

Stokes walks across and tries to paddle scoop the first ball on the leg side before he changes his mind and tries to reverse paddle it on the off-side but is beaten by the slower ball.

Shankar bowling on a tight line as Stokes hits the next to the fielder in the covers before he clips the third ball through midwicket for two runs followed by another dot ball.

Stokes then runs the fifth ball to thirdman for one before Samson is beaten trying to slog it across the line on the leg side.

Holder, who has two overs in hand, comes back into the attack.

Stokes carves the first ball over the off-side for two runs before he reaches out to a wide delivery for a single to deep point.

Holder drops short as Samson pulls it high over midwicket for a six before the West Indian gets revenge off the next.

Samson makes room and tries to hit it over the off-side but is beaten by the slower ball and is bowled for 36 from 26 balls, to end a good partnership of 56 runs from 49 balls for the second wicket with Stokes.

Buttler is beaten last ball as he tries to pull but the appeal for caught behind is turned down, as Royals are reduced to 86-2 in 12 overs.

Natarajan starts his second over with a short ball as Samson pulls it over midwicket for a four. He then hits the next ball over the off-side for two runs and gets one to thirdman.

A single to Stokes through the off-side and Samson clips the fifth ball through midwicket for two runs and the former clips the last ball off his pads for one, to get 11 runs from the over.

Rashid continues with Sunrisers needing a breakthrough to check Royals's good progress in the last few overs.

Samson pulls the second ball for a single down the ground to long-on and Stokes punches the third ball through the covers for two runs.

Three singles from the last three balls as Royals reach 74-1 in 10 overs, with Samson on 30 and Stokes on 24.

Samson looks to clip the first ball on the leg side but misses and is hit on the pads, however the leg before wicket doesn't interest the umpire.

Samson makes room and hits the pacer through the covers for two runs and then clips the next through midwicket for another couple.

A single to Samson to thirdman before Stokes keeps strike with one from the last ball, as six runs come from the over.

Leg-spinner Rashid Khan comes into the attack.

Stokes blocks the first ball back to the bowler. He then reverse sweeps the next ball uppishly as it falls just short of the fielder at deep point for a single before Samson hits it through the covers for one.

Stokes (17) then swings the last ball over the leg side as the Vijay Shankar at deep midwicket runs to his right and takes the catch but is unable to hold on, to give the Royals opener a lifeline.

Royals have recovered after the early wicket to reach 57-1 in eight overs, with Stokes on 19 and Samson on 18.

Samson gets a thick outside edge to thirdman for one and Stokes takes one through the covers.

Samson then punches Sandeep through the covers for his first boundary. The next ball is pitched up and wide as Samson plays a beautiful drive through the covers for another four, to get 10 runs from the over.

Medium pacer Vijay Shankar comes into the attack.

Stokes comes down and pulls the first ball uppishly to deep square leg for a single and Samson hits the next to long-on for another run.

Stokes looks to smash Shankar as he tries to hit it quite hard through the off-side but is unable to find the gap two balls in a row, followed by singles off the last two balls, as just four runs come from the over.

Royals off to a good start as they reach 47-1 in six overs, with Stokes on 15 and Samson on 12.

Stokes drives the second ball through the covers for a single before Uthappa picks a full delivery off his pads over square leg for a six and then takes a single to mid-off.

Stokes then makes room and hits the fifth ball into the covers and rushes across for a quick single though he would have been caught short by a direct hit.

Uthappa chips down the track and slams Sandeep straight down the ground, over the fielder at mid-on for a four, to get 13 from the over.

Holder continues as Stokes comes down and heaves the first ball over midwicket for a four.

He then gets a thick inside edge off the next delivery as it goes past the wicketkeeper behind the stumps for another boundary.

Stokes inside edges the third ball on to his pads as the ball falls close to the pitch but Uthappa is already half way down in search for a quick single but is sent back. However, Holder is quick to get to the ball as he gets the direct hit at the non-striker's end to run out Uthappa for a quick 19 from 13 balls.

Holder then bowls a wide down the leg side before gets a single through midwicket and new batsman Sanju Samson gets off the mark off the last ball, as Royals reach 33-1 in four overs.

Ben Stokes continues to open for Royals as he walks out with Robin Uthappa, while pacer Sandeep Sharma will open the bowling for Sunrisers.

Uthappa pushes the first ball on the off-side for a single to get off the mark and Stokes gets the third ball through the covers for one.

Uthappa can't get a run off the next two balls before he picks a single off the last ball, to get three runs from the first over.

Jason Holder, playing his first match of IPL 2020, comes into the attack from the other end.

Uthappa defednds the first two balls before he comes down the track and has a wild swing but misses it completely.

Two balls later, Uthappa pulls the short ball over the fielder at mid-on for two runs before he drills a wide half-volley through the covers for a four, as Royals reach nine for no loss in two overs.

Rajasthan Royals: Steven Smith (captain), Ben Stokes, Robin Uthappa, Sanju Samson (w/k), Jos Buttler, Riyan Parag, Rahul Tewatia, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Ankit Rajpoot, Kartik Tyagi.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: David Warner (captain), Jonny Bairstow (w/k), Priyam Garg, Manish Pandey, Vijay Shankar, Abdul Samad, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Shahbaz Nadeem, Sandeep Sharma, Thangarasu Natarajan.

Whether it is Priyam Garg, Abdul Samad of Sunrisers or Kartik Tyagi, Riyan Parag of the Royals, the youngsters from both sides will be feeling the pressure of doing something out of the box in case their illustrious seniors fail in that pursuit.

The Sunrisers are currently tottering at the second last place in the eight-team table with just six points from nine game while Royals are a notch ahead with eight points after their comprehensive win over Chennai Super Kings in the previous game.

Sunrisers can't afford to slip up even one bit since another loss would rule them out of the Play-offs race. The Royals would hope to continue with the winning momentum and hope that their foreign recruits continue to perform like they did against Chennai Super Kings.

They got their campaign back on track after two heavy defeats and would also have the edge over Sunrisers, which lost to Kolkata Knight Riders in the Super Over in their previous game.

Royals also face a battle of survival as another loss would dent their chances of advancing to the play-offs.

While Jofra Archer continues to be the backbone of Royals' bowling attack, the wrist-spinning duo of Shreyas Gopal and Rahul Tewatia were terrific in the middle overs against CSK and skipper Smith would be hoping for an encore from his bowlers on Thursday.

All-rounder Ben Stokes is yet to fire and Robin Uthappa had been their weakest link so far, which might prompt Smith to give a go to someone like Punjab dasher Manan Vohra.

The other aspect that hurt them is Sanju Samson's form which like every other year has gone from good to bad and now worse.

Sunrisers, on the other hand, would still be smarting from the Super Over loss to Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday.

David Warner and Co. would definitely be hurt by that loss but they need to come out of that shock quickly and re-strategise if they want to keep themselves afloat in the T20 event. The team heavily relies on its batting unit, mainly on the top four comprising Jonny Bairstow, Warner, Manish Pandey and Kane Williamson.