IPL Pulse: Soapy hands and tired teammates

Good morning,

We have a new leader in the IPL. Punjab have been unseated from their top spot after what feels like an eternity. And it had to be a team that has matched their run-making mania.

If you missed out on the action, or like short recaps, catch it all (not you, PBKS) on the Cricketlineguruji Pulse, your one-stop peek into the big, mad world of the IPL.

Last night in five lines

More Powerplay nonsense from SRH with their third-fastest team fifty

Their top five all shared the pie, making for a pretty scorecard

Lukewarm Punjab dropped catches like hot cakes

Their top-order folded in reply to Cummins' smarts

Connolly put on an eventful in-vain show to close in the margin

Oh, that happened

Super Cooper Connolly, IPL's new, young star, cooked up a stunner in a lost cause. How often do you see a little-known Aussie, all of 22, embrace and ace Indian conditions. That too, in their debut season. This was his maiden career ton, by the way. Also, just glad to see that middle-parting hairdo is behind him.

Pulse Awards

Punjab Kings get awarded loofahs to scrub their hands (and sins), for they anyway treat a cricket ball like a bar of soap. They've dropped 15 (!) catches this season. There was no Shashank redemption either: the Punjab batter was one of the culprits yet again.

Yuzi Chahal gets the tired teammate award for constantly seeing chances shelled off his bowling. At least six times in IPL 2026, we've seen the camera pan to Chahal after a reprieve, hands on his head, on his haunches, refusing to believe. We can't feel the pain, but we see it.

Shaun Marsh gets the Aussie Idol award for inspiring a two-decade younger Cooper Connolly. Just like Marsh, Connolly got a ton in his 10th game for Punjab. A very specific way to emulate your childhood hero.

Abhishek Sharma earns the silken six award for a glorious, second-ball strike, a checked drive that flew over extra cover. A little piece of sophistication in the carnage that is six-hitting these days. He hit three more in the next twelve balls, but none were as splendid.

The orange-clad Klaasen & Abhishek share the Orange Gap award for racing ahead in the Orange Cap race. Add Kishan to the mix, and that's three of the top five.

Talking point

Thirty sixes, 437 runs, but the Player of the Match award goes to Pat Cummins. That's what happens if you can be the difference-maker in a run-fest. Cummins craftily used the short balls and the slower ones, not historically his best deliveries in the IPL, to stall and kill Punjab's pursuit. Read all about it here.

Chatter

When asked about the secret sauce behind SRH's bat-first success, Pat Cummins had a simple answer: "Don't try and start off conservatively. It's not really Abhi or Travis's style".

He also explained why they struggle in afternoon games: "Trav's normally still sleeping by that time when his kids aren't here, so maybe that's it."

Shreyas Iyer was all praise for Connolly: "He's phenomenal. His mindset is top notch and the character he brings onto the field; it's something that all players can learn from."

Stat snack

Since 2015, SRH have been undefeated in Hyderabad against PBKS. That's a nine-match winning streak, the longest for one team against another at one venue.

Gossip column

With MI travelling in batches to Raipur, there's been murmur around certain players and their availability vs RCB. Hardik Pandya, who missed the last game, has not travelled yet. And he's not the only big name yet to arrive in Raipur. For now, the suspense is on.

Today's watchlist

LSG - yeah, they're still around - take on RCB at home. For Lucknow, it's a chance to dent RCB's playoffs chances, and attempt to make a move up the table. Against a team that's lost six games in a row, RCB start as clear favourites.

Reckless prediction

It's the usual post-match photo-op for the home team's owner, but this time, he isn't berating his captain. Instead, it's a Kohli-Goenka high-five breaking the internet.