Two teams with a stupendous batting depth are ready to take on each other as the Punjab Kings (PBKS) host the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). It will be an afternoon game in Mullanpur, a venue where the hosts boast an ordinary record. PBKS have lost 15 out of 21 matches played here. That’s why Hyderabad could have a say in this fixture despite losing two of their first three games thus far.
In their last game, SRH showed that they are not dead until you dismiss all the batters. Yes, they lost against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at home but not without putting up a terrific comeback. After 10 overs, SRH were 35-4. Yes, you read that right. Just 35. One would hope that on a surface like that, SRH would pummelled over 100 runs. But the Orange Army posted 156. They could’ve easily scored more had Heinrich Klaasen not got out with 11 balls to spare.
That’s how dangerous SRH are. Perhaps the most intent-driven team. They are still missing Pat Cummins, who flew back home for scans and will miss a couple more games before his comeback. On that note, let us look at the lineup with which the Ishan Kishan-led side will enter against PBKS.
Abhishek-Head combo to star in PBKS vs SRH clash?
All four openers that will take the field today are all worth watching. While Punjab have a dynamic young Indian duo of Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh, SRH have one of the best in the business. The Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head combo has the second-best partnership run rate in T20s for the opening wicket since 2024. They have struck at 12.29, scoring 1211 runs at an average of 44.85.
Guess which pair are at the top (min. 15 innings)? Well, an an insane crossover here as the Punjab (state team) duo of Abhishek and Prabhsimran have struck at 12.47 in SMAT and India A matches in this period. Talking about Abhishek, he recorded a duck in the last game but don’t be fooled to think that he is out of form. Against KKR, he blew 48 off 21. Similarly, Travis Head has also looked good and would love to play against the left-arm pace duo of Marco Jansen and Arshdeep Singh.
Catch PBKS vs SRH pitch report here.
All eyes on Klaasen and Nitish Kumar Reddy again
Ishan Kishan’s presence adds another dynamism to the SRH lineup. He had a rare off day against LSG but will be ready to take on the battle. This year, SRH aren’t playing Nitish Kumar Reddy at number four. While he can be a great number four, SRH are using him as a finisher, with the likes of Heinrich Klaasen and Liam Livingstone beefing up the middle-order.
Klaasen has found his mojo back and his battle with Yuzvendra Chahal will be fascinating. Chahal’s got Klaasen’s number, having dismissed him thrice in just nine T20s. But here’s the thing – Klaasen’s been phenomenal against him, averaging 45 and smashing at a strike rate of 212.5. That’s some big-hitting stuff!
Now, talking about Nitish Kumar Reddy, he’s on an upward trajectory as far as his IPL career is concerned. After an impressive debut in 2024, Reddy had a terrible 2025 where he was even dropped. Now, he has done well despite batting at number six in the last two games. He bagged the Player of the Match award for an all-round show against KKR before scripting a comeback with Klaasen against LSG. Resurrecting SRH from a horrible top-order collapse, NKR hammered 56 off 33, with his spin-hitting being an outlier.
Predicted SRH Playing XI vs PBKS
| S. No. | Player | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abhishek Sharma | Opener |
| 2 | Travis Head ✈️ | Opener |
| 3 | Ishan Kishan (c & wk) | Top-order batter |
| 4 | Liam Livingstone ✈️ | Batting all-rounder (spin) |
| 5 | Heinrich Klaasen✈️ | Middle-order batter |
| 6 | Nitish Kumar Reddy | Batting all-rounder (pace) |
| 7 | Aniket Verma | Finisher |
| 8 | Harshal Patel | Bowling all-rounder (pace) |
| 9 | Harsh Dubey | Bowling all-rounder (spin) |
| 10 | Jaydev Unadkat | Left-arm fast bowler |
| 11 | Eshan Malinga✈️ | Right-arm fast bowler |
| 12 (Impact Sub) | Shivang Kumar | Left-arm wrist spinner |
Aniket Verma will obviously be playing the finisher’s role, with no Salil Arora this time around. To give some batting cushion, SRH have Harshal Patel and Harsh Dubey, with the latter showing some spark with his all-round show so far. Dubey’s left-arm spin will be key against Shreyas Iyer in the middle overs, and so will Shivang Kumar’s left-arm wrist spin. Both can exploit conditions in Mullanpur.
The pace attack is the weakest link for SRH in Pat Cummins’ absence. The three main pacers are Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat and Eshan Malinga. There’s Shivam Mavi on the bench but Unadkat has been impressive thus far, having taken four wickets at a bowling SR of 14.7. Harshal hasn’t got into the act, going wicketless in two outings but he has the calibre to rule the death overs. Meanwhile, Malinga adds some pace.
Cricket
Predicted SRH Playing XI vs PBKS: Abhishek Sharma and Nitish Kumar Reddy under scanner
