Heinrich Klaasen’s impressive IPL 2026 campaign ended with Sunrisers Hyderabad’s playoff eliminator loss to Rajasthan Royals, while Kagiso Rabada remains in contention for the Purple Cap. Picture: NOAH SEELAM / AFP
Any hopes of Heinrich Klaasen finishing as the top run scorer in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) were extinguished on Wednesday, as his Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) lost to Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the playoff eliminator in New Chandigarh.
Klaasen had been in the running to win the Orange Cap for most runs in the season, as he is currently in third place with 624 runs. Teen sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi leads the way with 680. The 15-year-old prodigy almost single-handedly swung the encounter with an incredible 97 from 29 balls before he departed.
RR posted a mammoth 243/8 batting first, and SRH gave it a good go but could only manage 196 all out.
Klaasen himself turned in a rare failure this season as he was out 18 in the seventh over to leave SRH 81/5.
