Bengaluru clinch top IPL spot despite 55-run loss to Hyderabad

HYDERABAD, India (AP) - Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru sacrificed trying to beat Sunrisers Hyderabad to ensure they finished atop the Indian Premier League table on Friday.

Bengaluru got what it wanted despite losing by 55 runs.

Top of the table on net run rate, Bengaluru will host Gujarat Titans in the first playoff on Tuesday with the winner going straight to the May 31 final in Ahmedabad.

Hyderabad, tied on points with Bengaluru and Gujarat but third in the table, will host the second playoff on Wednesday against a team yet to be determined.

Hyderabad posted 255-4 - its ninth 200-plus total in 14 games - thanks to half-centuries from Ishan Kishan (79), Abhishek Sharma (56) and Heinrich Klaasen (51).

That left Bengaluru needing only 166 runs to clinch a top two placing. After a blazing start by Venkatesh Iyer and the cheap dismissals of Virat Kohli and Devdutt Paddikal, captain Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya set their sights on 166 instead of winning and got there in the 17th over.

They then passed 178 to clinch top spot in the table. They finished on 200-4, Pandya not out on 41 after Patidar fell for 56.