Jitesh Sharma will captain PBKS, with only two overseas players at their disposal.
Overview
The last game against the Gujarat Titans has put Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in a tight spot. They no longer control their destiny in the tournament. Even if SRH wins against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Sunday afternoon, a top-two finish is uncertain. For SRH to secure that spot, Rajasthan Royals must lose to Kolkata Knight Riders later in the day.
Before the game against the Titans, SRH last played on May 8, when they chased down a target of 166 against Lucknow Super Giants in under ten overs. This means SRH will be returning to action after a ten-day break, raising the question: will they be rusty or rejuvenated?
PBKS has been out of the playoff race for a while, and many of their overseas players have returned home for various reasons. Kagiso Rabada left due to an infection in his lower limb; Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Jonny Bairstow, and Sikandar Raza are away on national duties; and Chris Woakes departed for family reasons.
Jitesh Sharma will lead PBKS on Sunday, with only two overseas players available: Rilee Rossouw and Nathan Ellis. With nothing to lose, this situation presents a golden opportunity for domestic players to showcase their talent.
Team Updates and Key Players Strategy
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) : SRH faces a decision: should they bring back Aiden Markram instead of Sri Lankan leg-spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth? The batting lineup seems weaker without Markram, but Viyaskanth’s performance against Lucknow Super Giants, where he bowled 4-0-27-0, was impressive. Another consideration is replacing all-rounder Sanvir Singh with either Mayank Agarwal or Rahul Tripathi.
Abhishek Sharma could serve as their Impact Player if they bowl first, while T Natarajan might take on that role if they bat first.
Expected Playing XII:
- Travis Head
- Abhishek Sharma
- Mayank Agarwal/Rahul Tripathi
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Heinrich Klaasen (wk)
- Abdul Samad
- Shahbaz Ahmed
- Pat Cummins (capt)
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar
- Jaydev Unadkat
- Vijayakanth Viyaskanth
- T Natarajan
Punjab Kings (PBKS) With Sam Curran and Jonny Bairstow out, PBKS might field Rishi Dhawan and Atharva Taide. For Impact Players, they are likely to choose between Prabhsimran Singh and Arshdeep Singh.
Expected Playing XII:
- Prabhsimran Singh
- Atharva Taide
- Rilee Rossouw
- Shashank Singh
- Jitesh Sharma (capt, wk)
- Ashutosh Sharma
- Rishi Dhawan
- Harpreet Brar
- Harshal Patel
- Nathan Ellis
- Rahul Chahar
- Arshdeep Singh
Recent Track Record
Sunrisers Hyderabad [SRH] :[ W , L , W , L , L]
Punjab Kings [PBK] :[ W , L , L , W , W]
In the limelight
Bhuvneshwar Kumar had a tough start in IPL 2024, with figures of 0 for 51 and 0 for 53 in his initial games, and later, 0 for 60 against Royal Challengers Bangalore. However, after taking only four wickets in the first eight matches, he has bounced back with seven wickets in the last four games. His strength has been the powerplay, where he has taken ten of his 11 wickets this season, the most by any bowler.
Harshal Patel also struggled at the beginning of the season, conceding 44 or more runs in each of his first four matches. But he has made a remarkable comeback and is now the leading wicket-taker of the season with 22 wickets. His economy rate has improved to 9.51. With Kagiso Rabada and Sam Curran unavailable, Patel will need to take on extra responsibility to help Punjab Kings finish the season on a high note.
Pitch Conditions and Statistics
Hyderabad has witnessed high-scoring matches this IPL, with an average first-innings score of 203. The run rate at Hyderabad (9.94) is second only to the Arun Jaitley Stadium (10.69). However, there’s a 30% chance of rain, which could disrupt the game once again.
Important Stats:
Bhuvneshwar Kumar vs. Prabhsimran Singh
- Bhuvneshwar has managed to dismiss Prabhsimran three times in a mere 11 balls, conceding just 15 runs in total.
Rilee Rossouw vs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Pat Cummins
- Rossouw has struggled against Bhuvneshwar, scoring only five runs in ten balls without being dismissed, and against Pat Cummins, he has managed 14 runs in 12 balls with one dismissal.
Abhishek Sharma vs. Arshdeep Singh
- Abhishek has been dominant against Arshdeep, scoring 34 runs off 23 balls without being dismissed even once.
Harshal Patel vs. Heinrich Klaasen
- Harshal has had the upper hand against Heinrich Klaasen, dismissing him three times in 30 balls while conceding only 38 runs.
Nitish Kumar Reddy vs. Harpreet Brar
- Nitish Kumar Reddy has performed well against Harpreet Brar, scoring 38 runs in just 16 balls without being dismissed.
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