Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Punjab Kings, 49th Match, Indian Premier League 2026 - CommentarySRH vs PBKS, 49th Match, Indian Premier League 2026 - Commentary

SRH go top of the table with this win and also keep their streak of defending 220+ totals. 11 out of 11 on that count. Few issues for PBKS to sort out - mainly their fielding and catching which was abysmal tonight - as they head to Dharamsala next. We meanwhile are heading home. We will see you tomorrow again for LSG v RCB. Join us then. For now it's bye bye.

Pat Cummins | SRH captain and Player of the Match: There's a few (most pleasing aspect?). I think Punjab are a really good side, they were number one coming into this. I thought the batters to get up to what we did was sensational. I think that and then to close it out, no matter what the score is, bowling second against a side like that is always tough, but I thought we were quite clinical. Yeah, I think we're pretty good at playing at our own pace (secret to doing well batting first?). Don't try and start off conservatively. It's not really Abhi or Travis's style. So it's just trying to max out as much as we can, not really thinking about a total or anything. And then maybe later on in the innings, if it takes a different direction, we're pretty good at adjusting. Yeah, we're no good during the day (maximising home advantage in evening games?). We've played some really good cricket here over the last couple of years. I think it's suited our style. Even tonight, it kind of gripped a little bit, which kind of suits a lot of our bowlers towards the end. And we just feel like no matter which way this pitch takes us mid-game, we've seen it before, we can adjust. Trav's normally still sleeping by that time when his kids aren't here, so maybe that's it (why the struggle during afternoon games?). Yeah, happy with how I bowled. I still don't know how I got that award, but I feel really good. Came into this fresh. Had pretty good prep. So, no, I'm feeling great. Happy I could contribute. Not much has worked in the powerplay for any team really, so we tried to be a bit more proactive today. You know, we had our plans, but didn't have many other options, so I thought we'd try a bouncer and fortunately it came off tonight. Yeah, try and move the field, pretend a bit more is happening than actually is (was it a double-bluff for Priyansh by sending mid-on back?). Oh, you know, we've got lots of options, particularly with Nitish as another allrounder (shuffling the bowlers?). Feels like we've always got six or seven options. I always like having a bit of a clear mind for how the powerplay can look. And then after that, fairly open-minded where it can take me. Yeah, happy (to see Connolly doing well). Yeah, good result. Good to see the Aussies doing well. He's been a star this season with the bat for them. Yeah, not bowling at the moment, but still showing his worth as a batter. So good times for Oz. I mean, I hope so (this could be the season for SRH). It's still a bit of time to go. So we've actually got a bit of a break now. So we'll savour being at the top for a little bit and, you know, still a little bit of time to go, but wouldn't want to be anywhere else than number one. So, happy.

Daniel Vettori | SRH head coach: I think when you lose the toss, you probably go against what you want. To be able to put a score up like that, albeit we've possibly got a little bit lucky with some of the dropped catches. But the way we finished with Klaasen and Nitish. I think that set us up for a really defendable target. Well, I think it was more probably the seamers with their ability to bowl off pace (pitch helped spinners?). And you saw how difficult Sakib was there at the end. And Pat and Eshan continued to bowl brilliantly. So I think there's enough in the wicket as it goes along. But you still see that it's a six-hitting ground and the way that Coop (Connolly) played still put us under a lot of pressure. I think we understand what we need to do here and the nature of that. We've got some tricky surfaces coming up in Ahmedabad and Chennai where we probably have to adapt our game. So that's going to be the key to our season - these next two games. Yeah, him and Ishan have been brilliant this year (with their leadership). And I think the main thing that Pat brings is obviously the knowledge of the game, but also a calmness and all the guys feed off it. And when you're defending these big totals, there's a lot going on. So to have that cool head really helps the team. It's been a slow build to us catching, so we're very happy about it.

Shreyas Iyer | PBKS captain: I think it was a bit too much (the target) because we dropped many catches at the start and we could have easily delayed their score by 30 to 40 runs, I guess. Because the wicket kept getting slower and the cutters were holding up a bit. So we weren't that comprehensive enough on the field, nor in bowling, nor in batting. So I think they played comprehensive cricket and they showed us how to win the match. I feel we got a fairytale start in this tournament and everyone were in a great space and the mindset was top notch. I think it's important that we stick with the same mindset. It's easy to get diverted with talking negative about things. But definitely we got to go back, reflect on things that we didn't do well in the particular last three matches and see to it that we come back strong. He's phenomenal (Connolly). His mindset is top notch and the character he brings onto the field, it's something that all players can learn from him. And apart from that, I feel that he's got a knack of scoring big runs in pressure situations. He has done it in the past and today was the right example. He was fearless and his attitude was fantastic against left-handers (Chahal). I asked him to be attacking, especially when the new batsmen were in because they were on the charge right from ball one. And it was crucial to get wickets at that point of time. Unfortunately, we weren't able to take catches. I think that was the biggest setback for us in today's game. But definitely something to reflect on and come back stronger.

Youngest overseas batter to score a century in IPL
22y 257d - Cooper Connolly (PBKS) vs SRH, Hyderabad, 2026*
23y 122d - Quinton de Kock (DD) vs RCB, Bengaluru, 2016
23y 153d - David Warner (DD) vs KKR, Delhi, 2010
23y 330d - David Miller (KXIP) vs RCB, Mohali, 2013
23y 352d - Cameron Green (MI) vs SRH, Wankhede, 2023

Centuries for PBKS at the age of 22 in IPL
103 - Prabhsimran vs DC, Delhi, 2023
107* - Cooper Connolly vs SRH, Hyderabad, 2026*

Eight sixes also the most by PBKS batter at the age of 22 in an IPL innings, bettering his own seven sixes vs LSG at Mullanpur earlier in the season.

Highest scores for PBKS vs SRH in IPL
104* - Chris Gayle, Mohali, 2018
107* - Cooper Connolly, Hyderabad, 2026*
99* - Shikhar Dhawan, Hyderabad, 2023
96 - Hashim Amla, Mohali, 2016

Most wins against an opponent at a venue in the IPL
11 - MI vs KKR at Wankhede (13 mats)
10 - SRH vs PBKS at Hyderabad (11 mats)*
9 - KKR vs PBKS at Kolkata (15 mats)
9 - CSK vs KKR at Chennai (13 mats)

– Nine successive victories for SRH against PBKS at Hyderabad in IPL.

Longest winning streak by a team against an opponent at a venue in IPL
9 - SRH vs PBKS at Hyderabad (2015-26)*
8 - CSK vs RCB at Chennai (2010-24)
7 - CSK vs DC at Chennai (2011-23)
7 - MI vs KKR at Wankhede (2013-23)

SRH while defending 220+ targets
Mats: 11
Won - 11
Lost - 0

23:08 Local Time, 17:38 GMT, 23:08 IST: 9-0 now for SRH at RGIS against PBKS. A new IPL record that. Previously it was 0-8 for RCB at Chepauk against CSK. It's a hat-trick of losses for PBKS now after remaining unbeaten for 7 games in a row. Worrying times for them. A chase of 236 was always going to be a tall task but PBKS had won all their 5 games chasing this season, so they had reasons to feel confident. But the chase fell apart in the powerplay when they were reduced to 4/2 and then 23/3. Stoinis and Shedge looked good in their knocks but didn't kick on. The only spark for PBKS was Cooper Connolly who struck his first T20 ton. He had his share of luck as he was dropped twice but struck 8 sixes and 7 fours. The game was almost done when Shashank fell and SRH closed it out comfortably in the end. Connolly's knock reduced the margin of defeat which in turn allowed their NRR not to take a bigger hit. Stay tuned for the post-match stuff....

68-run stand between Connolly and Jansen is PBKS’ highest partnership for the 7th wicket or lower in IPL.

Shivang Kumar to Marco Jansen, THATS OUT!! Caught!!