Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Punjab Kings, IPL, 2026 May 6 Full score card

That's the game done! Sunrisers Hyderabad won by 33 runs. Flighted delivery, full and outside off. Cooper Connolly gets down on a knee for the slog sweep, but the ball lands and spins away with a bit of extra bounce to beat him on the outside edge.

SIX! Easy pickings! Good reach from Connolly. Short and outside off, turning away from the left-hander. Connolly clears the front leg, stays leg side of the ball, and smashes it over long off for six. This brings up the 200 for Punjab Kings.

WIDE! Miles outside off, Cooper is not interested at all as it is left alone.

FOUR! MAIDEN IPL HUNDRED FOR CONNOLLY! A special moment for the young Aussie who has bettered his credentials after a bit of a quiet phase with a fighting knock, single-handedly. Good length, outside off with the googly turning back in. Connolly drops to one knee to heave it towards the leg side. He still makes decent contact despite losing balance, clears backward square leg, and it races away for four after one bounce. A moment sliced out of pressure, and Connolly stands tall. His teammates are on their feet, applauding a knock that has showcased his full range.

WIDE! Fires one miles outside off, on a length, Cooper leaves. It breaches the tramline. Wide called.

This is dropped short, on middle and leg. Cooper Connolly goes back in the crease and flicks it away to the left of deep mid-wicket. He comes charging back for the second run.

Oh, just short of the fielder! Good length, a googly outside off. Vijaykumar Vyshak pushes at it away from his body and gets a thick outside edge. The ball loops up but drops short of Sakib at short third. He fumbles on the pickup as it spins away slightly. They cross.

In walks Vijaykumar Vyshak with Cooper Connolly at the other end on 95.

OUT! TAKEN EASILY! Wicket number 2 for Shivang. Full and well flighted outside off and it is the googly as well. Jansen gets on the front foot and swings hard, looking to clear the leg side, but gets a top edge. The ball is ballooned and safely taken by Harsh Dubey at backward point, who moves a bit to his right. Punjab Kings are 187/7.

Shivang Kumar (3-0-30-1) to bowl the final over of the game.

SIX! Nicely clubbed! Pitched up, just outside off. Connolly steps ahead, gets under it, and launches a big hit straight down the ground. It goes high and clears long on for six.

Short at 106.4 kph, around off. Jansen smashes it to the right of long off for a single.

SIX! Clears the fence! Pitched up, outside the off stump line. Easy pickings for Jansen as he bends, frees his arms, and clears the long off fence.

Full and quick, worked down to long on for a single.

FOUR! Races away to the fence! Darted on a fuller length, on off. Cooper Connolly clears the front leg and swings hard across the line. Gets a fat inside edge and it squirts past Ravichandran Smaran at short fine leg and beats his chase.

Dropped short from a wider angle, around the stump. Jansen stands tall and miscues the pull shot, on the bounce to deep mid-wicket for a run.

With Nitish Kumar Reddy off the field and the rest of the pacers having bowled out, it will be spin in the remaining two overs. Harsh Dubey to bowl the 19th over. He went for 17 runs in his only over so far.

FOUR! Runs away! Slips in a full toss, wide outside off. Cooper Connolly flashes very hard at it and slices off the outside edge, and it shoots away to the right of the short third fielder for a boundary. Sakib Hussain finishes his spell with 1/40 in 4 overs.

Another full ball with pace taken off, at just 108.2 kph. Jansen drags it off the inner half to deep mid-wicket for a single.

At 127.6 kph, this is slammed hard into the pitch, slanted to the leg stump. Marco Jansen decides to duck under it.

Slower ball, pitched outside leg, Cooper drills the full ball to long on for a single.

Two is the call and they will get it! Back of a length, on off, angling away. Cooper Connolly dances down the track to hit it down the ground, but gets it off the inside half and the ball rolls to the mid-wicket region. Harsh Dubey comes charging in off the ropes and throws it to the bowling end, but the batters hustle back for the second run before the throw arrives.

Low full toss at pace, on off, Jansen slaps it down to the left of long on for a single.

WIDE! Spots Jansen shuffle outside off, Sakib sprays it wide beyond the tramline. Marco leaves. Wide given.

Sakib Hussain (3-0-30-1) to bowl out now.

Off cutter, on a length, around middle. Jansen heaves it off the inside half of the bat to deep mid-wicket for a run.

Full on middle. Cooper drills it down to long on for a single.

SIX! Two in two for Cooper! Short, slow, on top of middle. Cooper Connolly generates his own power by standing tall and plundering it over deep mid-wicket for a biggie.

SIX! Frees his arms! Fuller one, slower as well, on middle. Cooper Connolly clubs it downtown for a cracking six. Right off the sweet spot.

Slow and full, around off, Marco heaves it off the inner half to widish mid-wicket for a single.

DROPPED! That went up and kissed the moon before descending. Shivang Kumar never settled under the ball. Fuller delivery on the leg stump line. Connolly clears the front leg and mistimes an attempted big hit towards the leg side. The top edge sends it high towards deep mid-wicket. Shivang Kumar charges in from the boundary and moves at the last second to his right. He dives, gets both hands to it, but cannot hold on and spills the catch.

Eshan Malinga (3-0-20-1) has been brought back.

Pat ends his spell by giving a couple. On a length, into the batter, cramping Marco for the room he was after. Marco Jansen ends up heaving this to deep mid-wicket. Abhishek Sharma runs in, but the ball drops short and bounces past him. Two runs taken.

Pat nails a prefect yorker, on middle and leg, Cooper Connolly jams this through point for a single.

Another slower cutter, on middle and off, Jansen fends this through mid-wicket for a run.

Full and wide of off, Cooper Connolly drills this to long off for a single.

SIX! Dismissed from his presence. Slower one, short and around off, Cooper Connolly was expecting this and was well positioned onto his back foot. Cooper pulls this from the middle of his bat and dispatches it out of the park towards the deep mid-wicket region.

Yorker, on middle and leg, Marco Jansen tucks this through mid on for one.

Pat Cummins returns for his final over. 3-0-22-2 so far for the SRH skipper.

On a length, around off, going across the batter. Cooper swings and misses yet again.

Connolly is agonising in pain as he is hit right on the box. The physio rushes out to the middle for medical attention. And the umpires signal for a STRATEGIC BREAK. The game has far drifted from PBKS' reach, and one wicket here will give SRH the chance to expose the tail. Cooper Connolly has played well for his part, but the support from the other end has been pretty minimal or insufficient. Punjab Kings need 106 runs from 31 balls. The time-out is done, and Cooper is fine to continue as well.

OUCH! Now this would have hurt Cooper more than the state of the game right now. Off-cutter, around the nagging length, on leg. Cooper Connolly swings early and the ball arrives late. The ball beats Cooper's bat and hits him in an uncomfortable spot on the box. Cooper grimaces and falls to the ground in real pain.

DROPPED​! Cooper Connolly gets a life as Sakib drops him on 53. Sakib persists with the slower cutter, into the batter. Cooper Connolly gives it a mighty heave but miscues this off the cue end. The ball lobs behind the bowler. Sakib turns around and goes after it, but he fails to lay even a hand on it. A couple taken.

Slower and fuller, wide outside off, Marco Jansen mishits this off the bottom of his bat and the ball balloons down the ground. The long on fielder runs forward but the ball lands well in front of him. A single taken.

Another cutter, on middle and leg, Cooper looks to whack it big but gets an inside edge towards the fine leg region for a single.

BEAUTY BY SAKIB! Off-cutter, around that nagging length on off, Cooper Connolly gets early into the stroke and gets beaten all end up. The ball bounces over the stumps and drops on the keeper as well.

Good length, around middle and leg, Cooper Connolly looks to heave it across the line but gets it spliced through mid off for a single.

Lands it on a length, around middle and leg, Jansen flicks this through mid-wicket for a single.

Low full toss, around off, Cooper Connolly drives this to the left of sweeper cover for a single.

Eshan nails the wide yorker, around off, Cooper Connolly looks to get bat on ball but misses out.

Some concerns in the SRH camp as Nitish Kumar Reddy was seen limping while running to his left. Maybe pulled off a hamstring in his left leg. He is down beyond the ropes and the physio has rushed to check him up. He eventually gets up and seems alright while walking. But he hasn't returned to the field just yet.

FIFTY FOR COOPER! Slower one, short and into the batter, Cooper Connolly pulls this to the left of Nitish Kumar Reddy at the deep mid-wicket region and takes two. Nitish is seen hobbling while he fields this and this is a worrying sign for SRH. A fighting half-century by Cooper with wickets falling around him.

Almost a brainfade moment for Cooper Connolly. Back of a length, around off, Cooper Connolly backs away and chops this back to the bowler, but was off for a single which wasn't there. Eshan moves to his right and gathers this before throwing it back towards the striker's end, but misses out on the hit.

Punjab Kings need 115 runs from 42 balls. And here's Eshan Malinga back on. 2-0-15-1 so far. He replaces Pat Cummins.

Full and around off, flirting with the tramline. Marco Jansen leaves it expecting a wide but the umpire calls it a fair one.

Off-cutter, around middle and off, Cooper Connolly gets early into the drive but does well to push this towards the right of the SRH skipper at extra cover. Takes a quick single. Pat has a shy at the stumps towards the bowler's end but misses.

Good length, around off, Marco Jansen punches this to sweeper cover for a single.

The Kings sink further as the Orange Army marches on. Marco Jansen is the new batter in at number 8.

OUT! CAUGHT! The short stuff is working like a charm for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Another short one, slower and on off, Shashank Singh goes for the pull and takes on the boundary rider at the deep mid-wicket region. Singh doesn't get enough power behind it and ends up finding Nitish Kumar Reddy at the fence. The ball threatens to pop out of Reddy's grasp, but he manages to hold onto it.

Slower and fuller, wide outside off, Cooper Connolly checks his drive and finds Pat Cummins around extra cover for a single.

FOUR! Carved away for a boundary to start the 13th. On a length, wide outside off, angling away from the batter. Cooper Connolly leans back and cuts this through the right of the fielder at backward point for a boundary.

Double bowling change? Indeed. Sakib Hussain (1-0-19-0) returns into the attack, replacing Shivang Kumar.

Beaten! Pat goes short and offers no pace at all. Shashank Singh gets on his toes and gets his hands high to run it down to deep third, but misses. Singh has a look at the square leg umpire, but he is happy with the height.

FOUR! A fine shot to get off the mark. Cummins lands it on a length, just outside the off stump. Shashank Singh gets his hands out in front and presents a straight bat. He firms the drive and it goes uppishly but between cover and mid off for a boundary.

The problems keep multiplying for the Punjab Kings with that wicket. Shashank Singh walks in at number 7.

OUT! CAUGHT! Pat Cummins breaks through for his side. Cummins bangs the off-cutter into the surface, over middle. Suryansh Shedge hangs back and takes on the short ball. The ball spins back towards Shedge to cramp him for room. He goes through with the pull but gets the height and nowhere close to the desired distance. Abhishek Sharma swoops in off the deep mid-wicket fence and slides to take a safe catch.

Full and on off, Suryansh Shedge brings his bat out in front and plays a punchy drive to mid off.

Off-cutter, into the surface, on off. Connolly rises with the bounce and drags the pull to deep mid-wicket for one.

Starts well, does Cummins. Pat steams in from around the wicket and hurls the yorker, on middle. Cooper Connolly jams it out back to the bowler.

Two really productive overs for the Punjab Kings. 35 runs have come from the last 2 overs. But they need a lot more of these 15-20-run overs as the asking rate keeps rising. Pat Cummins (2-0-17-1) brings himself back into the attack, replacing Harsh Dubey.

SIX! Banged away! This is dragged down by Shivang Kumar, it is the googly, on off. Suryansh Shedge waits on the back foot and stands tall to thump it with a horizontal bat back over the bowler's head for a flat six.

Full and a bit of turn, on middle. Suryansh Shedge swings ungainly across the line. Ekes out an inside edge to mid-wicket.

Very full, on off, Cooper Connolly digs it out through point for a run.

Dropped short, on off, that is punched off the back foot to deep cover for a single.

FOUR! Abhishek Sharma should have done better there. Shorter and it is the googly, on off. Suryansh Shedge opens up the front hip and spanks it towards wide long off. Abhishek moves to his left but does not get low enough and the ball goes under his hand before trickling into the fence. Pat Cummins is not happy one bit, and neither is Shivang Kumar. The 100 comes up for the Punjab Kings.

SIX! Suryansh Shedge joins the six-hitting act now. Tossed up, outside off. Shedge clears the front leg and collapses his back knee to power it to the right of long off for a six.

Halfway reached. Punjab Kings are 91/4. At the same stage, Sunrisers Hyderabad were 118/2. PBKS need 145 runs from 60 balls. Shivang Kumar (1-0-12-1) to continue.

Good comeback. Gets the yorker in, just outside the off stump. Connolly cannot squeeze it out and is beaten.

SIX! Cooper Connolly goes big again. Pushed through now, fuller and on off. Connolly stays back in the crease with an open stance and tonks it way back over long off for half a dozen more.

SIX! Put away with disdain! A real half-tracker, on middle. This sits up to be hit and Cooper Connolly does not miss out. He pummels it over mid-wicket for a biggie.

Fuller and on middle. Suryansh Shedge has a swipe across the line and drags it off the inner half to deep mid-wicket. They cross.

Tucking the batter up for room, on a nagging length. Cooper hits it down to long on for one.

Wide! Another ball that breaches the tramline, on the shorter side. Cooper Connolly lets it go.

Wide! Short and wide on off, Cooper Connolly swings hard at that one but does not connect.

Darted into the right-hander, on middle and leg. Shedge wrists it through mid-wicket and crosses over.

STRATEGIC BREAK! Some really good overs being strung together by Sunrisers Hyderabad. The Kings have lost the cream of their batting and these two will have to dig deep together to give them any chance of coming back in the game. PBKS need 162 from 66 balls, with the asking rate in touching distance to 15 an over. So it's a long, long way to go and the pressure is immense on the visitors. SRH will look to keep chipping away at the wickets and shut the door down for good. Harsh Dubey, SRH's impact player, is brought into the attack after the break.

At 90.4 kph, short and another googly, on middle. Cooper cuts it to backward point.

Around off and the length stays short, on off. Suryansh guides it to the right of short third for one more.

Bowls the googly, shorter and on off. Shedge steers it with the turn with an open bat face to short third.

Floated up again, on middle. Connolly gets down on a knee and goes hard on the slog sweep. It comes off the inner half to deep mid-wicket. They cross.

Looped up, on leg. Cooper Connolly gets the front pad out of the way and gets his hands through the line of the ball. Drives it to the right of cover for a couple of runs.

Fractionally short, turning into middle and leg. Suryansh Shedge presses back for the pull. It goes off an inside edge to deep fine leg for a single.

On a length, around middle and leg, Suryansh Shedge works this through the mid-wicket region and takes a single to end the over. Another tidy one for SRH.

Short and into the batter, Cooper pulls this flat towards Heinrich Klaasen at deep mid-wicket for a single.

Good length, wide outside off, Suryansh Shedge plays this late and dabs this through short third for a single.

Back of a length, into the batter, Cooper Connolly flicks this through mid-wicket for a single.

Slower one, on a length, around off, Suryansh Shedge gets right on top of it and keeps it out around covers.

Hard length, around off, Suryansh Shedge dabs this straight to point.

A quicker googly, on middle and leg, Cooper Connolly backs away and punches this to extra cover.

Fuller around off, Suryansh Shedge punches this through the off side for a single to open his account.

Suryansh Shedge comes out to the middle.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! A timely break for Sunrisers Hyderabad as they remove Marcus Stoinis from the middle. Another googly, around off, Marcus Stoinis shuffles away to his leg side and slashes hard at it. Goes for the cut but gets an outside edge due to a bit of extra bounce. The ball pops out of Ishan Kishan's grasp and lobs to his right, but he is aware of where the ball is and takes it safely on the second go.

Wrong'un around off, Marcus Stoinis backs away and looks to cut this square on off but gets beaten.

FOUR! Crunched away for a boundary. Flighted, around off, Marcus Stoinis gets right on top of the bounce and drives this through the left of extra cover for a boundary. Stoinis looks in really good touch here.

Fuller around the pads, Marcus Stoinis sweeps this towards the fine leg region for a couple of runs.

End of the Powerplay with a dot. Good length, around off, Cooper Connolly takes a baby step towards the pitch of this ball and pushes it straight to cover-point. A better connection and the ball would have beaten the fielder. At the end of 6 overs, PBKS are 57/3.

Pitched-up delivery, around off, Cooper Connolly drives this towards cover-point.

Eshan bends his back and bowls it short and wide of off, Cooper Connolly arches back and leaves it all alone.

Off the bat? There was a noise. Nails the yorker, angling across off. Cooper Connolly hurriedly drops his bat down. He is beaten on the outside edge. The UltraEdge confirms that the sound was of the bat hitting the turf.

WIDE! Short and wide outside off, Cooper Connolly leaves it all alone. Wided.

FOUR! The floodgates have opened. Short and on middle and off, Cooper Connolly stands tall and pulls this over the mid-wicket fielder for yet another boundary.

FOUR! Back of a length, around off, Cooper Connolly stays leg side to the pitch of the ball and cuts this over the fielder at backward point for four more runs. The 50 comes up for the Punjab Kings.

SIX! Stoinis makes the most of the Free Hit. Pitched-up delivery, on the pads, Marcus Stoinis picks it up with a flick and deposits this into the stands for a biggie towards the deep square leg region.

NO BALL AND FOUR! Pressure telling on Sakib as he gets it all wrong. Above-waist full toss off, Marcus Stoinis gets up on his toes and slaps this through the gap between extra cover and mid off for four runs. Free Hit up next...

way too wide outside off, Marcus Stoinis leaves it. Wided.

FOUR! Excellent from The Hulk. Short and wide of off again, Marcus Stoinis hits this really well and lofts this over the extra cover fielder for a boundary this time. The ball is flying off the middle of Stoinis' bat.

On a good length at the sticks, Stoinis has just blocked that from the crease.

Slower ball, on a back of a length, outside off. Stoinis slaps it towards cover, who fails to stop it despite diving to his right. Malinga runs across from deep point, gets there near the boundary, and uses his boot to stop it. They pick up two runs as the extra cover fielder chases it down and sends the throw back.

Hard length, on middle and off, Marcus gets deep inside the crease and blocks this out.

Back of a length, around off, Cooper Connolly gets up on his toes and slices this towards the deep third region for a single.

Time for Sakib Hussain? Indeed. Pat Cummins continues to shuffle his bowlers.

Bowls the off-cutter, on a length, just outside off. Stoinis gets deceived and drags it off the inner half to mid on. Fantastic over from Malinga. Just 6 runs and a wicket from it.

SIX! MUSCLED INTO THE STANDS! A touch fuller by Malinga, angling from middle to leg. Marcus Stoinis reads the length early, presses back and heaves it comfortably over deep mid-wicket for a cracking six.

Off cutter by the looks of it, on a length, around middle. Marcus stands tall and knocks it back to the bowler.

Back of a length, on middle. Marcus Stoinis gets behind the line and blocks it to mid on.

Another dent in the chase for the Punjab Kings. Marcus Stoinis joins his countryman in the middle.

OUT! Straight up the chimney and gone! It is falling apart for the Punjab Kings now as they lose their skipper. Eshan Malinga continues his magic with the ball this season. This is pace off, pitched fuller and on the off stump line. Shreyas Iyer tries to go downtown with a lofted hit, but ends up slicing it high in the air with one hand coming off the handle as well. The ball goes high over mid off and Pat Cummins takes a few steps back to take a safe catch with a reverse cup. Punjab Kings are 23/3, needing 213 off 100 balls.

Speared on a length, on middle and leg. Shreyas Iyer brings his bat in front of the pads and eases it to mid on.

Just the one over for Nitish Kumar Reddy in his opening spell. Eshan Malinga comes into the attack.

The yorker now from Pat, on middle. Cooper's head falls over, but he manages to squeeze it out to the cover region. 13 runs from Cummins' second.

Hard length, on leg, Connolly is a bit rushed and tucks it to the leg side.

SIX! Makes the most of the Free Hit! Touch fuller and outside off. Cooper Connolly gets his front leg out of the way and launches it into the orbit, parking it behind deep point for a massive six.

Bluffs the batter with a slower length ball, over off. Cooper Connolly is months early into the pull shot and misses. Takes a blow on his shoulder, and it rolls away to the short third region. Oh, dear! The siren goes off as Cummins has overstepped. No Ball called. Free Hit to follow...

Short of a good length, on off, Cooper Connolly hangs back and bunts it to mid off.

Similar line and length, Cooper Connolly steers it off the back foot to the right of the diving cover-point fielder for a couple of runs.

FOUR! Briefly aerially, but in the gap! Back of a length, just outside off. Cooper Connolly gets his hands through and punches it between cover and point for a boundary.

On a good length, around off, Cooper Connolly looks to punch it through covers, but inside edges it wide of mid on for a single.

Back of a length, around off, going across the batter. Cooper Connolly stays leg side and slashes at it but misses out.

Hard length, on top of off, Shreyas Iyer dabs this late and guides this to short third for a single.

On a length, hint of away swing on offer. Shreyas Iyer prods onto his front foot and pushes this to cover.

FOUR! Through the gap! On a hard length, outside off, Iyer presses back and cuts it precisely between cover and cover-point for a boundary.

Punjab's skipper, Shreyas Iyer makes his way out to bat with his side in early strife.

OUT! TAKEN! Both PBKS openers fall early. This is full from Reddy, on the stump line. Prabhsimran Singh lines up to whip it over the leg side, but gets a thick leading edge. The ball spoons up over and around the mid off region. Pat Cummins calls for the catch, moves a bit to his left and gets down on his haunches to take it with a reverse cup.

Priyansh Arya falls cheaply. In walks Cooper Connolly at number 3. He will be keen to redeem himself, having had a forgettable outing in the field. Nitish Kumar Reddy will operate from the other end.

OUT! CAUGHT SHARPLY IN THE DEEP! Cummins lands an early blow on the Kings and that's a sensational catch from Eshan Malinga. Mid off was pushed back, and perhaps Arya was expecting a full ball. Cummins comes up with the bluff. Bowls a well-directed short ball around off. Priyansh Arya tries to hammer it over square leg, but gets a bit of a top edge, and it sails to the left of deep square leg. Eshan Malinga runs across, sees the ball like a hawk and dives to take a fine low catch. He tumbles over, but maintains the ball in his hand. Punjab Kings are 4/1, chasing 236.

Beaten! Good heat by the skipper. At 147 kph, this is dug in short, on top of off. Priyansh Arya tries to pull off the back foot, but the ball keeps rising and whistles over his blade.

Good length, outside off, Prabhsimran Singh presses back and cuts it over backward point for a run.

On a length, on middle, Singh bunts it back to the bowler.

Oh, no! A bit untidy by SRH! Hard length, around off, Singh punches it off the back foot to deep point. Eshan Malinga runs to his right and cuts it off. Throws it to the keeper, Kishan, who is a bit casual and fumbles the ball to the leg side. They cross for the second as well.

Gets off the mark! Back of a length, angling outside off, Arya presses back, lets the ball come and steers it to deep backward point for a single.

OUT! TAKEN! A wicket off the final ball of the innings. SRH finish with 235/4. Heinrich Klaasen will feel that he missed out here, as this was in the slot. Vyshak misses his yorker by a bit, outside off. Klaasen hangs deep in the crease and swings to go inside out. Ends up hitting it a lot straighter. It is skied towards long off, where Marco Jansen runs in off the ropes and drops to a knee to take the catch low to the ground.

Halt in play as one of the floodlight towers has gone off. And almost within a minute, the issue has been sorted out. Good to continue. Final ball coming up.

Game stopped due to : Light Failure

FOUR! Smart batting! Full and at the sticks by Vyshak, Klaasen knows that fine leg and square leg are both inside the circle. Heinrich plants his front foot across the stumps and helps it over the man at short fine leg to pick up a boundary.

From around the wicket now, back to bowling the yorker, outside off. Klaasen hurriedly drops his bat down. The ball dribbles in front of long off and the batters come charging back for the second run.

SIX! Clean as a whistle! Vijaykumar Vyshak moves away from the yorker plan and pays the price. Serves a length ball, wide on off. Heinrich Klaasen keeps a still head and opens up the front hip to pump it over wide long off for a six.

Top delivery. Seam-up ball and the yorker is executed, outside off. Heinrich Klaasen digs it out back to the bowler.

Vyshak lands it full and outside off. Nitish Kumar Reddy walks across and swings a bit too hard. He loses his shape and miscues it off the inner half through mid-wicket. They cross.

That was an excellent penultimate over from Arshdeep. Just one boundary from it. And sometimes, who knows, these one or two quiet overs might prove to be the point of difference. Vijaykumar Vyshak will bowl the final over of the first innings. 3-0-41-0 are his bowling figures so far.

Going away, very full. This is carved to deep backward point for one. The 50-run stand comes up between these two batters. Nelson on the board for SRH.

Dipping low full toss, on off. Heinrich Klaasen tries to pick it up and park it in the stands. Gets it off the toe end towards mid-wicket for just a single.

Arshdeep goes short, on off. Heinrich Klaasen flat bats it down the ground and the umpire is quick to get out of the way. Marco Jansen tidies up after moving to his left from long on. A couple of more runs.

Reddy walks across the stumps before the ball is released. Arshdeep slips in a low full toss, on the off stump. NKR shapes up for the reverse but then adjusts to the line and angles the bat face to guide it through point for one.

FOUR! Nicely done! Not a great option with backward point and third man both up inside the circle. Arshdeep attempts the wide yorker, Reddy reaches out and slices it with an open bat face. Threads the gap between backward pointa nd short third for a boundary.

Nails the wide yorker, Klaasen is made to reach out. It goes off the toe end to short third for a single.

Lockie Ferguson ends his spell with figures of 4-0-41-1. Arshdeep Singh (3-0-33-1) will bowl the penultimate over.

SIX! Into the stands! A six off the last ball spoils the over from Punjab's perspective. Ferguson takes pace off and lands it on a back of a length, on middle. Reddy waits on the back foot for the ball to arrive and clobbers it over square leg for a biggie. 13 runs off the over.

Ferguson goes full, following the batter. Heinrich Klaasen drills it back past the bowler. The ball is past Lockie before he can react. Shreyas Iyer moves swiftly to his left and keeps the batters down to a single.

Wide! Another bumper, too high this time, over middle. Heinrich looks to make contact with the ball and tap it down on the leg side but misses.

Into the deck, on off. Klaasen rises with the bounce and helps the pull to the right of deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Klaasen misses out. Ferguson spots the batter backing away and he follows him with a full ball. The mid off is up inside the circle and Klaasen drills it down the ground but can't pick the gap and hits it straight to mid off.

FIFTY FOR KLAASEN! A stellar run of form this IPL continues for Heinrich. His 12th IPL half-century to go with two hundreds. Another off-pace ball at the sticks, on a nagging length. Klaasen nudges it in the vacant mid-wicket region and comes charging back for the second run.

Lockie takes pace off and bowls it on a good length, on off and middle. Reddy hangs back and punches it to long on for a single. 200 UP FOR SUNRISERS HYDERABAD​​​​​​!

Lockie Ferguson will bowl out from the other end now.

Jansen serves the bumper at the bodyline of the batter, Klaasen gets his hands high and pulls it behind square leg. Arshdeep Singh moves to his left in the deep and mops it up by lobbing the ball towards the converging deep square leg fielder. Two runs taken. End of a rough night for Jansen, conceding 61 runs off his 4 overs.

Keeps it away from the batter's arc, it is the slower, short ball. NKR reaches out and drags it through mid-wicket. They cross.

Pace taken off and bowled into the surface, over middle. Heinrich pulls it through mid-wicket and crosses over.

SIX! That has gone back a long way. Pitched up by Jansen in line with the leg stump. Klaasen is quick to get the front leg out of the way and he whips it way over deep mid-wicket for half a dozen. 900th six of IPL 2026.

From over the wicket now, dug in short, on off. Reddy drags it with a flat bat to long on for a single.

SIX! Banged away! Angled in, fractionally short at 129 kph, on middle. Reddy swivels a bit and dispatches it over mid-wicket for a six.

STRATEGIC BREAK! A good last couple of overs for the Punjab Kings. They have not bowled badly this evening and, had they held onto their chances in the middle phase, it could have been a very different story. They will ideally want SRH to be kept under 220. Heinrich Klaasen is key going into the death overs for SRH, and they still have Salil Arora to come, who can hit the ball a long way. Yuzvendra Chahal has been subbed out. Priyansh Arya comes in as Punjab's Impact Sub. Marco Jansen to bowl after the break.

Yuzvendra Chahal is substituted by Priyansh Arya

Much fuller, around off, Nitish Kumar Reddy pushes it wide of long on for a single. Yuzvendra Chahal ends his spell with figures of 4-0-32-1.

FOUR! That's a good shot from Nitish Kumar Reddy! Drifting onto the pads, Nitish Kumar Reddy gets low and sweeps it in the gap through backward square leg for a boundary.

Another single. A good over so far from Yuzvendra Chahal. Full, on leg, Heinrich Klaasen drills it to long on for just a single.

Yuzvendra Chahal fires it up, on middle, Nitish Kumar Reddy knocks it down the ground for a single.

Short, on off, Heinrich Klaasen shuffles across and chips it uppishly through the left of the bowler for a single.

Nice and full, on leg, Heinrich Klaasen plays a reverse sweep to the fielder at point. Dot.

Much fuller, around off, Heinrich Klaasen flicks it to mid-wicket for one more.

Hard length, on off, Nitish Kumar Reddy punches it to cover for a single.

Out goes Ishan Kishan and in walks Nitish Kumar Reddy.

OUT! TAKEN! A terrific innings comes to an end from Ishan Kishan. Arshdeep Singh bangs it short, on off, and slower too. Ishan Kishan swivels and looks to pull it, but gets no power on the shot. It goes only as far as deep mid-wicket. Suryansh Shedge moves to his left and takes a comfortable catch near the fence.

Hard length, on off, Heinrich Klaasen punches it wide of long off for a single.

A yorker again, on middle, Ishan Kishan knocks it down to long on for a single.

A yorker, down leg following the batter, Ishan Kishan shuffles across and digs it to mid-wicket for a single.

Arshdeep Singh (2-0-27-0) returns to the attack.

Too full, outside off, Ishan Kishan reaches out to it and sweeps it to mid-wicket for a single. 21 off the over.

SIX MORE! A hat-trick of sixes from Ishan Kishan to reach his FIFTY! This one is the biggest of the three. Hard length, on middle and leg, Ishan Kishan shuffles across and lofts it over long on as the ball sails into the stands. This has been a power-packed knock from SRH's pocket rocket.

SIX AGAIN! Back-to-back sixes! Much fuller, on off, Ishan Kishan gets down on one knee and clatters it over long on for yet another six.

SIX! Up and over! A slower bouncer from Vijaykumar Vyshak, on middle and leg, Ishan Kishan swivels and pulls it over deep backward square leg for a biggie. 150 UP FOR THE SUNRISERS​​​​​​!

Vijaykumar Vyshak follows Heinrich Klaasen down the leg side. Klaasen looks to flick it, but the ball hits his pads and rolls towards square leg. They collect a leg bye.

Too full, on middle and leg, Ishan Kishan digs it down the ground for a single.

Vijaykumar Vyshak to continue. 2-0-21-0 so far for Vyshak.

SIX! A rocket of a shot from Heinrich Klaasen! Marco Jansen keeps it full, outside off, Heinrich Klaasen reaches out to it and powers it back over the bowler's head for a flat six.

Good over so far from Marco Jansen. Short, on off, Ishan Kishan pulls it to mid-wicket for a single.

Full and down the leg side, Heinrich Klaasen looks to flick it but the ball hits his pads and rolls towards short fine leg. The batters collect a leg bye.

Short and wide, Ishan Kishan reaches out but toe-ends it towards point for a run.

Wide! Sprays it down the leg side, Ishan Kishan tries to slog it but misses. Wide called.

Takes pace off, short and outside off. Ishan Kishan pulls it to the right of deep mid-wicket for a brace.

Marco Jansen bowls it on a length, on off, Heinrich Klaasen pushes it to mid off for a single.

Again, Vyshak goes off pace, short on middle. Heinrich Klaasen climbs on it and pulls it along the ground to a widish deep square leg for a single. This brings up the 50-run partnership between this pair.

Slows it up, short outside off. Kishan swivels and pulls it to deep backward square leg for a single.

On the stumps, on a good length. Heinrich Klaasen punches it down the ground, to long on's left for a single.

Fired on a length, around off. Ishan drags it off the inner half to long on for a run.

Pitched well short, on top of off. Ishan controls the pull shot to deep square leg's right for a couple of runs.

FOUR! Just past the fielder. Fuller and outside off. Ishan waits for the ball to arrive and guides it to the right of the diving Arshdeep Singh at short third and picks up a boundary.

Stumping chance missed! Flighted up, outside off, with some turn and extra bounce. Ishan Kishan shimmies down the track and swings hard but misses it completely. Prabhsimran Singh is surprised by the bounce as he fails to collect it. The ball hits his right shoulder and lobs behind on the leg side. The batters collect a bye.

Leg break from Chahal, 85.3 kph. Well flighted and full outside off, Klaasen is beaten on the outside edge. It deflects off Prabhsimran's pads and trickles into the third man region. They collect a bye.

At 87.3 kph, full outside off. Ishan gets low to slam it over covers, but inside edges to the leg side for a single.

Short leg break, outside off. Heinrich Klaasen slaps it off the back foot to sweeper cover for a single.

IN THE AIR AND DROPPED ONCE AGAIN! On a pitch where there is so little for the bowlers, PBKS have put down three genuine chances. And this time, Lockie Ferguson is the guilty party. Short on the leg stump, it deceives Kishan in flight. He goes for the pull without any footwork and sends the ball high off the top edge towards Ferguson at deep square leg. Ferguson misjudges the trajectory and perhaps loses sight of the ball in the lights, gets his hands low to his right and puts it down. A single taken.

Pushed fuller on the leg stump, clipped off the front foot to long on for a single.

Another off-pace delivery, short on middle. Klaasen stands tall and hammers it between long on and deep mid-wicket. Suryansh Shedge gets across to his left and cuts it off. Keeps it down to a single.

Takes pace off, short on off. Heinrich Klaasen waits back and pulls it to the right of long on for a couple more.

Into the pitch, short, outside off. Ishan Kishan tries to club it downtown with a flat-batted angle, but shanks it through mid off for a single.

On a length, on leg, Klaasen works it to deep mid-wicket for a run.

FOUR! SLAUGHTERED! Short of a length, on middle and leg. Heinrich Klaasen gets the ball at a comfortable height and pulls it to the right of deep mid-wicket for a boundary. That was smashed really hard.

Back of a length, on top of middle. Heinrich Klaasen backs away and punches it wide of extra cover for a couple of runs.

STRATEGIC BREAK! No shortage of action in the first nine overs of the game. A pat on the back from the head coach, Ricky Ponting, for Shashank Singh and Cooper Connolly as Punjab look to regroup. They did well to remove the two openers, but since then, they have let themselves down in the field. On a wicket where there is not a lot for the bowlers to work with, the fielders need to back them up and support their efforts. How the wicket plays with the ball getting older, will be interesting to watch. Vijaykumar Vyshak to bowl after the break.

Short again, sliding on the pads. Heinrich Klaasen rocks back and pulls it on the bounce to deep mid-wicket for a single. 13 runs from Chahal's second over. His figures read 2-0-20-1.

Flat and short, on off, Heinrich Klaasen punches the leg break to cover.

DROPPED AND FOUR! Oh, no! It's that man again. Shashank Singh has made an absolute mess of this one. Chahal cannot believe it, PBKS cannot believe it. It's not been a great season for Punjab in terms of fielding and catching efficiency. Chahal floats one up on leg stump, Klaasen goes for the sweep but gets nowhere near it. The top edge balloons straight to Shashank at deep backward square leg. He gets under it, gets his hands to it, and puts it down and worse, the ball trickles back into the fence.

Pushed wide outside off, on a fuller length. Ishan jumps out of the crease and drags it off the inner half to long on for a single.

Much better. Full, at 92.2 kph, on the pads. Heinrich Klaasen leans and clips the ball into the mid-wicket region for a single.

SIX! Klaasen gets into the act now! Short on off by Chahal. Heinrich Klaasen hangs back and has enough time to create a stable base before he muscles it over deep mid-wicket. The 100 is up for SRH.

SIX! Ishan Kishan connects this well! Lockie Ferguson bangs it short, on middle and leg, Ishan Kishan swivels and pulls it powerfully over deep backward square leg for a six.

Nice and full, on off, Ishan Kishan taps it to the fielder at mid off.

Hard length, on middle and leg, Heinrich Klaasen turns it through square leg for a single.

Pitched up now, on off, Klaasen brings his bat out in front and drives it without much timing to mid off.

Hurls it on a shortish length, on off. Heinrich Klaasen rises with the bounce and angles it to backward point.

DROPPED! Cooper Connolly shells it. That should have been taken. How costly will this prove to be? Short, on middle and leg, Ishan Kishan stays back and goes for the pull. Hits it flat and straight down the throat of deep square leg. Cooper Connolly tries to take the catch in reverse cup style around his left shoulder. The ball bursts through his hands and catches him on the shoulder before going behind. Connolly recovers well as he turns around and drops to his knees to stop the ball from touching the boundary cushions. The batters collect a single.

Much fuller, outside off, Ishan Kishan moves to his left and turns it to mid-wicket for one more.

Flighted up, on leg, Heinrich Klaasen flicks it through the inner half of his bat towards square leg for a single.

Just when things were looking ominous for the Kings, Chahal delivers. Heinrich Klaasen is the new batter in at number 4.

OUT! TAKEN! Marco Jansen makes no mistake in the deep, and Yuzvendra Chahal strikes in his very first over. A googly, outside off, Travis Head takes a step forward and looks to loft it, but gets the height and not the distance. It goes down the ground towards long off. Marco Jansen runs to his left and takes a fine catch. Sunrisers Hyderabad are 84/2 after 6.4 overs.

It's been a good over from Chahal so far. Will Head take the risk of taking him on?

Wide! Bowls it way outside off, Travis Head leaves it alone. Wide called.

Short ball, on leg, Ishan Kishan turns it to backward square leg for another single.

Fires it on off, Travis Head knocks it through wide mid off for a single.

Yuzvendra Chahal starts with a short ball, on middle and leg, Travis Head makes room and punches it between cover and long off for a brace.

That's the end of the Powerplay. The ball has been absolutely slaughtered around the park. SRH are going along strongly. PBKS need a breakthrough, and Iyer summons the spin wizard into the attack. Yuzvendra Chahal replaces Marco Jansen.

Back of a length, on middle, Travis Head pulls it through square leg for a single. Sunrisers Hyderabad end the Powerplay at 79/1.

Lockie Ferguson goes full, on middle, Ishan Kishan flicks it to mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! Ishan Kishan joins the party! A tad fuller, just outside off, Ishan Kishan winds up and pumps it over mid on for a boundary.

Good length, on middle, Travis Head makes room and steers it through point for a run.

SIX! That goes all the way! Lockie Ferguson bangs it short, on middle and leg, Travis Head swivels and pulls it magnificently over deep mid-wicket as the ball sails into the stands for a biggie.

Hard length, on off, Ishan Kishan punches it to cover for a quick single.

Last over of the Powerplay. Lockie Ferguson (1-0-6-1) to continue.

Another successful over for SRH! 11 runs off it. Much fuller, on off, Travis Head taps it to the fielder at mid off.

Ishan Kishan gets off the mark. Marco Jansen goes full, on off, Ishan Kishan pushes it wide of mid on for a single.

Hard length, on off, Travis Head knocks it to mid on for a run.

FOUR MORE! Travis Head is in some mood! Pitched up, outside off, Travis Head stays in his crease and lofts it over mid off for yet another boundary.

FOUR! That was clever from Travis Head! Marco Jansen goes short, outside off, Travis Head uses the pace of the ball and plays an uppercut over the keeper's head for a boundary.

Wide! A wayward bouncer, on leg, Travis Head tries to pull it but misses. Wide called.

Marco Jansen keeps it on a length, on middle and leg, Travis Head flicks it but finds the fielder at mid-wicket.

Excellent start for Ferguson. Puts a bit of brakes on. Change of ends for Marco Jansen. 1-0-21-0 so far. He replaces Arshdeep Singh.

Serious wheels from Lockie! Ferguson slips in a quick bumper, on off. Ishan tries to take it on but the ball climbs onto him and he is beaten for pace. The ball pings him on the helmet before dropping on the off side.

On a length, on middle. Kishan pushes it to cover off the front foot.

Bangs it in short at the ribs of the batter. Ishan hops and fends it down beside the strip on the leg side.

Ferguson, back in the side, ends Abhishek's fun after an absolute blitz. In walks Ishan Kishan at number 3.

OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! A pressure catch and Shreyas Iyer makes no mistake. Lockie Ferguson strikes a big blow for his side. Fuller than the previous ball and angling across off. Sharma hangs back and has a big swing at it. He cuts across the line of the ball and slices it very high in the air in front of mid off. Iyer moves forward from mid off and keeps his eyes on the ball all the way through. He gets low and takes the catch close to his body.

SIX! All the way! Closer to the off stump, on a shortish length. Abhishek swivels for the hook and takes his eyes off the ball while playing the shot. It is skied to deep fine leg, where the fielder looks interested for a moment but eventually watches the ball sail over his head. And just like that, the 50 is up for SRH in 3.2 overs.

Ferguson begins with a short ball and pushes it across the left-hander from over the wicket. Abhishek Sharma lets it pass.

Assault from both ends and PBKS are already feeling the heat. SRH are going at 16-an-over. Lockie Ferguson is introduced into the attack, replacing Marco Jansen.

FOUR! Easy pickings! Arshdeep Singh errs in both line and length. Low full toss, sliding onto the pads. Head helps it away fine of the man at short fine leg and it races away for a four.

Well bowled! Singh nails the yorker at the stumps. Head backs away to open up the off side but can't do much on this ball. He watchfully digs it out to mid off.

SIX MORE! Travis Head repeats the dose! Another ball from Arshdeep that is asking to be hit, on a short of a length, on the off pole. Head stays leg side of the ball and swings across to pummel it to the right of square leg for a biggie.

SIX! Watch out in the stands! A skimmer from the Aussie southpaw. Arshdeep goes short again but fails to get it high enough to trouble the batter, on middle. Head pivots on the back foot and drags the pull flat and wide of the man at deep square leg for a six.

Dug in short now, on middle. Travis Head ducks under it.

A big swing and a miss! Angled in, on a back of a length, on middle. Head has a heave across the line but misses. The bounce takes the ball over the sticks.

Jansen took a fair bit of tap in that over. Looks like a pretty flat deck. Arshdeep Singh to continue. 1-0-11-0 so far.

FOUR! Cooper Connolly should have done better there. Into the strip, over off. Abhishek Sharma stands tall and has a hack across the line. Ends up snatching at it and it goes off the inner half through square leg. Connolly sprints to his right from deep backward square leg and looks to push the ball away from the fence with his right hand. The ball clips his fingertips and trickles behind into the fence. Jansen goes for 21 runs in his first over.

Jansen drags the length back and tightens his line. This is angled into the left-hander, on middle. Abhishek swivels for the pull but is beaten as the ball goes under the bat and catches him on the midriff.

SIX! Have some of that, says Abhishek! Jansen delivers the knuckleball on a length, just outside the off stump. Sharma gets the ball in his wheelhouse and he does not miss out. Thumps it back towards the sight screen for half a dozen more.

FOUR! Not in complete control but they all count. A well-directed short ball, at the right shoulder. Abhishek gets his hands high to hook it away, but the ball gets big on him. It goes off the top edge but fine of the man at deep fine leg for a four.

SIX! High and handsome! A bit fuller than the previous ball, around off, Abhishek Sharma is allowed to free his arms, and with a clean swing of the arms, he goes down the ground. Tonks it over mid off for a biggie.

Starts well, does Jansen. Hits the back of a length, over off. Travis hangs back to deal with it. A bit of nip back into the left-hander. Head ekes out an inside edge and it goes behind on the leg side for a single.

Decent start for the Sunrisers. There was some swing on offer for Arshdeep as well. Marco Jansen to operate from the opposite end.

Very full and this moves away in the air. Abhishek jams it out past cover and it goes to the left of the man at deep point for a couple of runs. A positive start for SRH, 11 runs off the first over.

In the channel, bowled on a good length. Travis stays leg side and punches it to deep point. He is off the mark with a single.

Wide! Sprayed down leg, on a good length. Head lets it be.

Oh, a hasty single! A low full toss now, shaping away from off. Abhishek pushes it to mid off and is off for a quick single. The fielder has a shy at the bowling end, but misses, and Sharma scoots through to complete the single.

Outswing, full and around off, Abhishek plays off the front foot and drives it to the cover fielder.

SIX! Abhishek Sharma and SRH are up and running. Shaping away, on a length, on off. Abhishek extends his hands into the lofted hit and presents a high elbow to go inside out over cover for the first six of the night.

Watchfully kept out. Floated up first up by Arshdeep, on off. A little bit of away curve, Abhishek brings his bat down and squeezes it out to cover.

Ready to rock and roll in Hyderabad. Two of the most prolific six-hitting teams on the menu. It's a sea of orange in support of the home team with a sprinkling of red jerseys here and there. Out walk the two umpires. Shreyas Iyer has his troops in a huddle before they take their respective fielding positions. A huge cheer goes up at Uppal as Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma walk out to the crease to open for SRH. Arshdeep Singh has the new ball in hand and is raring to go. Abhishek to take the strike. There's a slip in place as well. Here we go...

Impact sub options for PBKS - Priyansh Arya, Harpreet Brar, Xavier Bartlett, Vishnu Vinod and Musheer Khan.

Punjab Kings (Playing XI) - Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (C), Shashank Singh (In for Nehal Wadhera), Suryansh Shedge, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson (In for Xavier Bartlett), Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal.

Impact sub options for SRH - Aniket Verma, Praful Hinge, Liam Livingstone, Harsh Dubey and Harshal Patel.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (Playing XI) - Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (WK), Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, Ravichandran Smaran, Nitish Kumar Reddy (In for Aniket Verma), Pat Cummins (C), Shivang Kumar, Eshan Malinga and Sakib Hussain.

Positive mood in the camp - The skipper of the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Pat Cummins says they would have bowled first as well, but is quick to highlight that they have been winning games batting first, so they are not much worried or upset about the toss result. Pat says it has been a really good campaign, underlining that it wasn't their day in the last game, but also points out that they had won five on the trot before that. He describes that the atmosphere in the group is really positive and says they don't need to look too far back. On the crowd, Cummins says they have been awesome over the last few years and that they love to see great cricket, with him hoping to bring more of that tonight. About the surface, Cummins admits he can't read pitches but notes that they all seem to be pretty high-scoring here. He reckons that it may slow up a bit in the second innings, which he sees as a positive when bowling second. On the team combination, Cummins informs that Nitish Kumar Reddy is back from illness, and he comes in for Aniket Verma.

Being at the top gives them confidence - The captain of the Punjab Kings, Shreyas Iyer says that they will bowl first. He adds that they have gained amazing learnings from their previous game, and being at the top of the table gives them a good feeling to come and play. He says that they are professional, they can't complain, and they will always give their best. Iyer reckons the surface is good, and they will try to see how it behaves and look to chase the target. He ends by saying that Shashank Singh and Lockie Ferguson are back in the side.

TOSS - Shreyas Iyer has been joined by Pat Cummins out in the middle, and the two captains exchange pleasantries before the toss. The coin goes up and comes down in favour of Iyer. Punjab Kings opt to BOWL first.

How's the home side feeling? Ishan Kishan says it's a different wicket and it's good to be in the present and forget about the past. He further says that everyone is experienced with the ball, and he worked on his batting and, more importantly, on playing more shots on the off side. On his battle with Arshdeep Singh, Ishan says that for him, it is all about confidence and if he feels confident against a certain bowler, he takes him on. He adds that this is a short-format game, and the need is always to put big totals on the board.

Punjab's star all-rounder - Marcus Stoinis has caught up with Raunak Kapoor. On being asked about his batting touch this season, Stoinis admits he hasn't had to do much with the bat in the earlier part of the campaign. He details that the top order has been firing so well that he simply wasn't needed, but adds that he got the chance to express himself in the last few games when his side needed him to step up. Adds that it's always nice to grab the opportunity when it comes. On being asked how he manages to stay ready through the middle of the tournament, after sitting idle for long stretches and then being called upon to step up, Stoinis admits it is not easy at all. He says you still feel the same emotions, still think about the game, and want to get involved just like everyone else does. But admits that it gets a lot calmer when you are in the middle instead of just sitting and watching. On being asked about his bowling in the previous game, Stoinis says he wasn't too disappointed, adding that bowling in the death overs is always hard. He highlights that he nailed a couple of yorkers, but they got squeezed away to the fence. He stresses thinking about what you could have done differently, but says that's just how the game goes. Stresses that you've got to adapt, think about it, and also let it go. On being asked whether there is an inside competition about who hits the most sixes, Stoinis laughs it off and jokingly says he doesn't think they are counting him in that one. On how much he has been lifting in the gym, Stoinis says most of his work is about staying on the park and keeping himself fresh, so there hasn't been much lifting for him. On expectations from tonight's game, he says it will be about assessing the conditions early. He notes there have been a couple of games where it hasn't been as high scoring, so adapting as quickly as possible will be key.

PITCH REPORT - Nick Knight and Simon Katich are out in the middle to give us a sense of the conditions. Nick labels this contest as a battle of the big hitters. Shares that one side of the ground is particularly short at 62 metres, while the other square boundary stands at 68 metres. Katich informs that pitch number 2 will be used tonight. Further says that since 2025, teams batting first have twice been restricted to under 160, while on three occasions totals in excess of 245 have been posted. Simon feels there are plenty of runs in the wicket. Adds that it is rock hard with not a blade of grass on it. With the surrounding pitches being quite abrasive, he reckons there could be some purchase for the bowlers as the ball gets older, but with the new ball, it should skid on nicely onto the bat. The former Aussie opener also points out that Abhishek Sharma enjoys batting on this surface, having already scored two hundreds here. He feels both teams would ideally want to chase, although Punjab might be mindful about putting SRH into bat, given the firepower they possess.

The fight to bounce back - Both sides are desperate for a win after stumbling in their previous games. PBKS suffered a tense final over defeat to Gujarat, and SRH fell short against KKR right here at home. Punjab Kings are trying to avoid a third straight defeat, while the Sunrisers are hungry to defend their fortress and reclaim their winning momentum. Buckle up and grab your seats, folks, because the action is just moments away. Toss and team news to follow shortly...

The power hitters are ready to explode - If you love big boundaries, you are in for a treat. Both teams boast explosive opening pairs who love to dominate the powerplay. SRH will rely on the incredibly dangerous duo of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma to set the tone, while PBKS will counter with the high-flying Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya. Add heavyweights like Heinrich Klaasen, Shreyas Iyer, and Ishan Kishan to the mix, and it is clear that the bowlers from both sides will have a very tough job tonight.

The battle for the top spot - The stakes could not be any higher tonight. Punjab Kings are currently sitting right at the peak of the points table, but Sunrisers Hyderabad are breathing down their necks in third place. A win here for the home side will catapult them straight to the number one spot. Both sides boast serious batting firepower, so we can expect the ball to fly into the stands, just like the 220-run chase we saw the last time these two teams met.

Welcome to Hyderabad! Hello and welcome, cricket fans, to the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium for Match 49 of this thrilling IPL season. The local favourites, Sunrisers Hyderabad, are getting ready to host the table-toppers, Punjab Kings. The energy in the stands is absolutely electric, and we are perfectly set up for what promises to be a massive clash under the lights.

... MATCH DAY ...

The battle for supremacy at Uppal - As the IPL 2026 season hurtles toward its dramatic conclusion, Match 49 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium serves as a pivotal crossroads for two of the tournament's most dominant forces. The Punjab Kings currently sit atop the standings with 13 points, but they are far from comfortable, with a relentless Sunrisers Hyderabad side in third place with 12 points. Both franchises have dictated the tempo of the league for the majority of the summer. Yet, they enter this high-octane encounter under a cloud of sudden uncertainty, making this more than just a battle for points, it is a fight to reclaim their status as the teams to beat. Hunting for lost momentum - Sunrisers Hyderabad return to their home turf with a burning desire to erase the memory of their recent stumble, which saw their formidable five-match winning streak unceremoniously ended by the Kolkata Knight Riders. Across the dugout, the Punjab Kings find themselves grappling with a similar identity crisis. After a historic unbeaten run that lasted deep into April, they have been shaken by back-to-back losses against the Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans. For both camps, the primary objective is to arrest this slide and rediscover the psychological invincibility that defined their earlier campaigns, ensuring they enter the playoff bracket with their confidence fully restored. Cracks in the armour - Despite the star power on both rosters, recent performances have exposed critical structural weaknesses that opponents are beginning to exploit with surgical precision. Sunrisers Hyderabad have developed a worrying dependency on their explosive opening pair, often leaving their middle order exposed and prone to rapid collapses once the initial fireworks subside. Conversely, the Punjab Kings have struggled with a jarring lack of consistency in their batting lineup, further compounded by a bowling attack that has leaked massive totals. This defensive fragility has forced their hitters into high-pressure chases, while sloppy fielding from both sides has only added to the mounting frustration. Strategic shifts for the business end - To secure a decisive result in this encounter, both leadership groups must implement immediate tactical refinements to shore up their respective ship. SRH will likely focus on restructuring their middle-order rotation to ensure that Heinrich Klaasen has the necessary support to finish innings strongly without the fear of a total tail-spin. On the other hand, the Punjab Kings’ management will be demanding much tighter discipline from their supportive bowlers in Bartlett and Vyshak, to prevent the game from slipping away in the middle overs. On a Hyderabad surface famously tailored for high scores, the team that best balances reckless aggression with calculated safety during the Powerplay will likely hold the upper hand. The stars collide - The narrative of this contest will undoubtedly be shaped by several mouth-watering individual battles that could turn the tide in a matter of deliveries. All eyes will be on the electric confrontation between the current Orange Cap holder, Abhishek Sharma, and the lethal left-arm swing of Arshdeep Singh, a duel that promises to set the tone for the entire match. Furthermore, the strategic chess match between SRH skipper Pat Cummins and the unconventional stroke-play of Prabhsimran Singh will be fascinating to watch, especially as Shreyas Iyer looks to anchor the Punjab innings against a Hyderabad bowling plan designed to disrupt his rhythm. Form (Last 5 completed matches, recent first) - SRH - LWWWW | PBKS - LLWWW. A defining chapter - With the prize of a top-two finish and the luxury of a double chance in the playoffs dangling before them, the atmosphere at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium is expected to be nothing short of electric. A victory for the Punjab Kings would effectively cement their position at the summit and send a clear message to the rest of the league, whereas a win for the Sunrisers would see them leapfrog their rivals and seize control of the narrative. In a season that has already been defined by record-shattering totals and breathtaking finishes, this clash of the titans stands as the most consequential fixture of the week, destined to shape the final destiny of the IPL 2026 trophy.