Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer conceded that missed opportunities in the field and uneven showings across batting, bowling and fielding combined to cost his side dearly, as Sunrisers Hyderabad beat PBKS by 33 runs in IPL 2026 on Tuesday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
Key takeaways
- SRH posted 235/4 after being sent in, then held Punjab to 202/7 to seal a 33-run win.
- PBKS suffered their third straight defeat after an early season stretch that had put them among the front-runners.
- A slowed pitch and a string of dropped chances played a major role in Punjab failing to restrict SRH beyond par.
- Cooper Connolly’s counter-attacking century briefly kept PBKS in the contest after the chase slipped to 48/3.
- PBKS dropped three catches in the match, including two of Ishan Kishan and one of Heinrich Klaasen.
SRH’s big total and Punjab’s execution gaps
With the bat, Sunrisers Hyderabad compiled 235/4, setting a demanding target for Punjab despite a chase that gained momentum at times. SRH then tightened their grip to restrict PBKS to 202/7, even as Cooper Connolly struck a fighting century in response.
The defeat also underlined how quickly the game tilted in SRH’s favour. Punjab’s fielding lapses were particularly damaging: SRH raced to 79/1 during the powerplay and pushed past the 200-run mark in the 18th over. Heinrich Klaasen, Ishan Kishan and Travis Head took advantage of repeated errors, turning pressure into runs.
Speaking after the match, Iyer said Punjab had allowed Hyderabad to surpass a manageable score as the surface slowed. He pointed to the match context—catches taken early could have reduced the damage, but the wicket continued to get tougher, with cutters gripping and frustrating batters.
“I think it was a bit too much because we got many catches at the start and we could have easily reduce their score by thirty to forty runs I guess, because the wicket kept getting slower and the cutters were holding up a bit,” Iyer said.
Comprehensive loss and a quick reset mindset
The captain acknowledged that PBKS were outplayed across disciplines. In his view, the opposition showed the kind of complete, disciplined cricket needed to win on the night—something Punjab failed to match with their fielding, bowling and batting.
“So we weren't comprehensive enough on the field, nor in bowling, nor in batting. I think they played comprehensive cricket and they showed us how to win the match,” he added.
For Punjab, the timing of the loss is significant. The setback arrived during a stretch where the franchise had looked like a genuine title contender earlier in the campaign. Consecutive defeats have now dented their momentum ahead of the final phase of the league stage, although PBKS remain well placed in the playoff race.
Even with the recent slump, Iyer insisted the group would not slip into negativity. He suggested the team’s early success created a positive mindset that should be maintained, and warned against getting sidetracked by negative talk.
“I feel we got a fairytale start in this tournament, and everyone was in a great space, and the mindset was top-notch. I think it’s important that we stick to the same mindset,” he said.
“It's easy to get diverted talking negative about things. But if we are going to continue with the same form, that's not going to help us.”
Iyer also indicated that the upcoming break could help the squad reset mentally. He said Punjab must review what went wrong in their last three matches and return with greater sharpness as the competition intensifies towards the playoffs.
“But definitely we got to go back, reflect on things that we didn't do well in the last three matches and see to it that we come back strong,” he said.
Connolly’s century, Chahal’s intent and the catch-time turning point
Despite the loss, one clear bright spot for PBKS was Cooper Connolly. The young Australian batter struck a counter-attacking hundred that kept Punjab’s chase alive after early wickets pushed them to 48/3. Iyer praised Connolly’s temperament under pressure, highlighting the character he showed when the game demanded composure and acceleration.
“I mean, he's phenomenal. His mindset is top-notch, and the character he brings onto the field is something that all players can learn from him,” Iyer said.
“And apart from that, I feel that he's got a knack for scoring big runs in pressure situations. He has done in the past, and today was the right example.”
Iyer also underlined Yuzvendra Chahal’s attacking mindset. In a match where SRH’s batting had plenty of momentum, he said Chahal bowled with fearlessness and particularly strong attitude against left-handed batters. The PBKS captain explained that he encouraged Chahal to press the advantage, especially when new batters came in and SRH were looking to seize the initiative from ball one.
“It's certainly the way he bowled. He was fearless, and his attitude was fantastic against left-handers,” Iyer said. “I asked him to be attacking, especially when the new batsmen were in, because they were on the charge right from ball one.”
However, the skipper returned again to the biggest swing factor of the evening: dropped catches. PBKS missed three chances during the match—two of Ishan Kishan and one of Heinrich Klaasen. Iyer named Cooper Connolly, Lockie Ferguson and Shashank Singh as the players involved in those missed opportunities.
“Unfortunately, we weren't able to take catches. I think that was the biggest setback for us in today's game,” he said.
