The margin of error in the IPL is always low. Even taking half-chances often turns out to be crucial. Punjab Kings on Wednesday showed profligacy on that front against Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2026. Punjab put down catches (three overall) at the drop of a hat as Sunrisers Hyderabad buried them under a huge total, winning their IPL contest by 33 runs to move to the top of the points table here on Wednesday. Heinrich Klaasen continued his remarkable consistency with a 43-ball 69, while Ishan Kishan struck 55 off 32 balls in Sunrisers’ more than healthy total of 235 for 4.
On a placid track, SRH skipper Pat Cummins (2/34 in 4 overs) and their best bowler of the season, Eshan Malinga (1/34 in 4 overs), not only provided breakthroughs but also bowled 21 dot balls to restrict the visitors to 202 for 7.
Cooper Connolly‘s (107 not out off 59 balls) century was the only saving grace for PBKS, who were never in the contest after a disappointing powerplay show. PBKS thus lost their ninth consecutive IPL game in Hyderabad.
The seventh win took SRH to 14 points and to the top of the 10-team table. One more victory in the remaining three games will take them to the magic figure of 16 points, which should be enough to ensure a playoff spot.
Punjab Kings, who are going through a mini slump with their third defeat in a row, will blame their deplorable fielding, which contributed heavily to their defeat. The Kishan-Klaasen duo were dropped thrice – all sitters – and the vice-captain was also lucky to survive a regulation stumping chance bungled by Prabhsimran, whose glovework hasn’t been up to the mark.
It was a lucky Yuzvendra Chahal who was left high and dry by his ‘butter-fingered’ colleagues, as Klaasen and Kishan lived charmed lives to guide Sunrisers to a winning total. Shashank Singh and Lockie Ferguson then dropped a catch each off Chahal’s bowling, leaving the veteran spinner in complete disbelief.
“It has been a bit of a virus for us. We have put a lot of catches down this season. The boys have worked exceptionally hard this season. Poor old Shashank – it seems the ball is following him. He missed a couple of games due to a strained hamstring. It has taken him a couple of weeks. He has done all the work to be physically right to play the game. We have pumped a lot of catches into him over the last five to six days. There is no doubt about That. Hopefully, it is not too expensive. Ricky PontingPBKS coach. in a chat with the broadcaster JioStar.
“I am not going to give any excuses. We trained here last night. That is the beauty of coming to these venues. You get a chance, one or two sessions under lights, to get a feel. We have had a couple this year. Chahal had one in Mumbai that went straight into the lights that he lost. It looked like Shashank had that one covered. I am not going to give any excuse. When a catch like that comes, you have got to take it.”
After Abhishek Sharma (35 off 13 balls) and Travis Head (38 off 19 balls) blasted Arshdeep Singh and Marco Jansen For another half-century partnership, Klaasen and Kishan cashed in on missed opportunities to score half-centuries that ensured a healthy, defendable total for their bowling unit.
Nitish Reddy, whose all-round game has improved remarkably this season, played a nice little cameo (29 not out off 13 balls) to beef up the total.
There was nothing in the track for the bowlers, and Chahal’s 1 for 32 is worth its weight in gold, considering that Shashank Singh dropped a sitter and Prabhsimran couldn’t effect a routine stumping, leaving him angry and distracted at the same time.
Punjab, whose outfielding throughout the tournament has been atrocious to say the least, dropped three catches, which is unpardonable when the pitch resembles a shirtfront.
In all, SRH batsmen smashed 17 sixes, with Abhishek opening the floodgates with four maximums. Head hit three, while Kishan and the peerless Klaasen, in the midst of his best-ever IPL season, struck four sixes each.
Jansen (0/61) and Arshdeep (1/43) gave away 100 runs collectively in their eight overs.
With PTI inputs
Featured Video Of The Day
IPL 2026 News | RCB Outplay CSK For 2nd Win On Trot, Ruturaj Gaikwad & Co Suffer 3rd Loss
Topics mentioned in this article
