SRH kept their stranglehold on Punjab Kings going at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Wednesday, producing a 33-run win that not only underlined their power at home but also lifted them to the summit of the IPL 2026 standings. The victory built on a remarkable run of success versus PBKS in Hyderabad, extending SRH’s growing reputation as the team that simply has answers when the two sides meet in this venue.
Quick facts
- Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Punjab Kings by 33 runs at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Wednesday.
- SRH recorded their ninth consecutive win over PBKS in Hyderabad (a venue-winning streak record in IPL history).
- The run surpassed Chennai Super Kings’ eight straight wins over Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Chepauk (2010–2024).
- This was SRH’s 10th win in 11 meetings against PBKS at Hyderabad, making them the second-most successful team at a single IPL venue against one opponent.
- Mumbai Indians hold the overall lead with 11 wins in 13 matches versus Kolkata Knight Riders at Wankhede.
- SRH posted 235/4, led by Heinrich Klaasen’s 69 off 43 balls.
- Punjab’s chase was held up by early strikes; Cooper Connolly made 107* (maiden IPL century) but couldn’t prevent the defeat.
The headline number was the winning streak itself: SRH have now strung together nine straight victories over PBKS at this ground. That makes it the longest head-to-head streak by one side against the same opponent at a single venue in IPL history, nudging past the mark set by CSK against RCB at Chepauk.
SRH’s dominance has been even more striking when viewed across longer stretches. Their run is listed alongside other venue-long streaks such as CSK’s eight-match surge versus RCB at Chennai, plus additional long spells like CSK versus DC at the same venue and MI versus KKR at Wankhede.
It was also a milestone in the wider venue comparison. With this result, SRH reached their tenth win in the last 11 IPL matches against PBKS in Hyderabad, putting them second only to Mumbai Indians’ record of 11 wins from 13 games against Kolkata Knight Riders at Wankhede.
Klaasen and the SRH start set the tone
Backed by another commanding batting performance, SRH powered to 235/4 after being asked to bat. Heinrich Klaasen again looked in complete control during the middle and finished with a brisk 69 off 43 deliveries, providing the finishing touch after the early momentum had already been built.
Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head were the spark in the powerplay. The two set a quick platform, racing to 54 runs in only 21 balls, with Abhishek cracking 35 from 13 and Head striking 38 at a relentless tempo. From there, SRH’s innings never really lost its pace.
Even so, the gap between the teams widened further due to Punjab’s fielding lapses. Ishan Kishan survived several near-misses—once after a chance was dropped on nine by Cooper Connolly, again when Lockie Ferguson reprieved him at 18, and later when Prabharsimran Singh missed an easy stumping opportunity. Klaasen too received a reprieve on nine when Shashank Singh failed to hold on to a catch.
Those errors proved expensive. Klaasen and Kishan combined for a decisive 88-run partnership, stitching together the kind of control that makes chases difficult from the outset. Kishan brought up a 55, while Klaasen accelerated sharply late on before being dismissed off the final ball of SRH’s innings.
The knock also moved Klaasen to the top of the Orange Cap race, with 494 runs in 11 matches at this stage of the season. It was another reminder of why SRH have leaned on him so heavily in the closing phases.
Connolly’s century couldn’t change the outcome
Punjab’s chase never gained a proper rhythm after early damage. Pat Cummins struck in the opening over by removing Priyansh Arya, and Nitish Kumar Reddy followed up quickly by dismissing Prabharsimran Singh soon after.
Marcus Stoinis and Suryansh Shedge managed brief starts, but neither could turn their time in. Wickets kept falling at regular intervals, leaving Punjab chasing too big a total for too long with too little stability.
Only Cooper Connolly looked comfortable enough to fight the situation. The 22-year-old struck an unbeaten 107—his maiden IPL century—and became the youngest overseas player to reach a hundred in IPL history, eclipsing Quinton de Kock’s previous benchmark.
Despite the brilliance, the chase ended in defeat. With the win, SRH climbed to 14 points from 11 matches, strengthening their bid for a top-two spot. For PBKS, another uncomfortable outing at Hyderabad cost them ground at the top of the table.
