Pat Cummins, one of the most admired pace bowlers in world cricket, has revealed that his time at Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) during IPL 2026 has helped sharpen his understanding of what makes their bowling tick. Speaking after SRH’s latest success, Cummins said he has been paying close attention to the way his teammates have been executing plans across the season, highlighting Eshan Malinga and Sakib Hussain for the impact they have consistently delivered.
Malinga has emerged as SRH’s leading wicket-taker, claiming 19 scalps from 14 matches, while Sakib—making his debut in the competition—has already picked up 15 wickets in 10 outings. Their combined influence proved decisive in SRH’s 55-run victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Friday night. During the chase, SRH’s slower-ball craft played a key role in disrupting RCB’s rhythm, and both bowlers finished with figures that underlined their control: a combined 8-0-64-3. What made the effort even more impressive was the context—SRH had posted a formidable 255 for 4 after batting first, meaning the target was always going to ask for accuracy and composure under pressure.
The pair also set the tone early, contributing heavily during the powerplay. Together, they bowled three overs in that opening phase, taking a wicket apiece to keep RCB from building momentum after Venkatesh Iyer provided SRH’s opponents with a quick start.
After the match, Cummins praised their work in detail. “They’ve been fantastic,” he said. “I’ve actually learned a lot off those guys as well—the way Eshan has bowled all season, especially in that powerplay. He’s been the form bowler of the competition, using his slower balls and mixing things up. And of course, Sakib as well. It’s a captain’s dream.”
With the win, SRH closed the league stage on 18 points level with RCB and Gujarat Titans (GT), but the other two sides edged ahead into the top two positions on the strength of superior net run rate. SRH’s batting effort put them within reach of leapfrogging into the top two, but the math demanded a specific outcome: they would have needed to hold RCB to fewer than 166 to make that climb possible.
Cummins acknowledged that SRH made a genuine push to try and force their way into the top two, but he also felt the challenge was always significant. He pointed to the reality of playing conditions in Hyderabad, where the batting surface has often made scoring easier, making it tough to defend smaller margins.
“It’s a pretty good wicket. I knew a lot of things had to go our way,” Cummins said. “Yeah, it got close. I think they were trying to make sure they got to that score [166], so we threw a few different things at them, but yeah, it’s still a big win.”
Looking ahead, RCB will meet GT in Qualifier 1 on May 26. SRH’s campaign continues in the Eliminator on May 27, when they will take on one of three contenders for the final playoff spot—Rajasthan Royals (RR), Punjab Kings (PBKS), or Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)—as the race for the last berth reaches its climax.
