Sunrisers Hyderabad turned on the style in Match 49 of IPL 2026, putting up a commanding 235 for 4 against Punjab Kings at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, setting up a pulsating contest in what has become one of the tournament’s most batting-friendly venues.
Punjab Kings won the toss and elected to field first, but SRH’s top order wasted no time, with Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head racing past the 50-run mark inside four overs.
Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen then capitalised on some sub-par Punjab fielding, stitching a brisk 88-run stand for the third wicket. Kishan brought up his half-century with a hat-trick of sixes off Vijaykumar Vyshak before Arshdeep Singh ended his innings for 55 off 32 balls.
Klaasen carried on his rich vein of form, notching his 12th IPL fifty in just 32 balls. He finished with 69 off 43, while Nitish Kumar Reddy’s quickfire 29 not out off 12 balls helped SRH add 63 runs for the fourth wicket in the final stretch.
Punjab Kings, who boast two of the highest successful chases in IPL history, now face the daunting task of overhauling 236 runs, a chase that could define their grip on the top spot in the points table.
With the Hyderabad pitch averaging over 200 in the first innings this season, another blockbuster finish looks firmly on the cards.
