SRH vs PBKS

Plenty of trends broken tonight, after two weeks a team batting first has won a game and exactly after 30 days PBKS have been displaced from the top of the points table. The new table toppers will now have a 6-day long break while PBKS will move to their adopted home Dharamsala for three hugely crucial games in the hills in the span of a week. Tomorrow, RCB will have a chance of their own to have a taste of the top of the table as they play the low-lying LSG at the Ekana Stadium. We will be there, as always. So do make sure you hop in, for now this is Sourabh Agrawal signing off on behalf of Pradeep and the rest of the team. Cheers!

Pat Cummins, the SRH skipper is the Player of the Match tonight, here is what he had to say:(what is the most pleasing aspect of this win?) There's a few. Punjab are a very good side. For the batters, to get up to that kind of a score was sensational. Against a team like that, no matter how much we get on the board it is never easy to defend and got to be clinical

(how they have been so successful batting first?) We are pretty comfortable playing at our pace. It is just about trying to max out. (maximizing home advantage) We have played some really good cricket here in the last couple of years. It suits out style, even tonight it was gripping a bit which suits a few of our bowlers, we can adjust. (on why the afternoon games haven't worked for them?) Trav (Travis) is asleep at that time, perhaps that's why (chuckles)

(on his bowling) Felt really good, still not sure how I got this award but I have come into this fresh. (on bowling changes) Not a lot has worked for teams in the powerplay, we have got lots of options specially with Nitish

(did he double bluff Priyansh Arya?) Kind of. Tried to pretend a bit more is happening than it actually is

(thoughts on Cooper Connolly) Good to see Aussies doing well, he has been the star with the bat for them even though he is not bowling. (is this going to be SRH's season?) Hope so. We have got a bit of a break now, we won't want to be anywhere other than the top of the table

Daniel Vettori [Sunrisers Hyderabad, Head Coach]: "(On the team’s overall performance) It was a really strong all-round performance. Losing the toss and still putting up a total like that was pleasing. We may have been helped a little by a few dropped catches, but the way Klaasen and Nitish finished the innings gave us a very defendable score.(On the pitch and bowling execution) As the game progressed, the surface slowed down a bit. The seamers who used their variations well made things difficult, and the way Shami, Pat, and Harshal executed their slower balls was outstanding. Even though it’s a ground where sixes come easily, the bowlers adapted really well under pressure.(On the team’s progress towards the playoffs) We understand what’s at stake now. The next couple of games, especially on different surfaces, will test our ability to adapt. That’s likely to define our season from here.(On Pat Cummins’ captaincy) Pat has been exceptional. Beyond his tactical awareness, it’s the calmness he brings that stands out. In high-pressure situations, especially while defending big totals, that composure spreads through the group and helps everyone stay clear in their roles.(On the team’s fielding effort) The catching was excellent today. It’s something we’ve been building towards gradually, and it was great to finally see it come together in a big game.

Shreyas Iyer [Punjab Kings captain]: "(On whether the target was chaseable) I felt the total became a bit too much in the end. We dropped a few catches early on, and that probably cost us 30–40 runs. The wicket was slowing down, and the cutters were gripping, so had we been sharper in the field, things could have been very different. Overall, we weren’t good enough in any department, while they played a complete game and showed exactly how to close out a contest.(On the team’s recent run and mindset) We had a dream start to the tournament, and the mood in the camp was excellent. Right now, it’s important not to drift into negativity after a few losses. We need to stick to the same mindset that worked for us earlier, reflect honestly on the last three games, and come back stronger.(On Cooper Connolly’s performance) Cooper has been outstanding. His mindset and composure under pressure are exceptional, especially for someone so young. He has a habit of stepping up in difficult situations, and today’s innings was another example of that quality.(On Yuzvendra Chahal’s bowling effort) Yuzi bowled brilliantly and with great intent. I wanted him to attack the new batters, especially with how aggressively they were playing from ball one. He did exactly that and showed tremendous attitude, but unfortunately we didn’t support him well enough in the field. The dropped catches were probably the biggest turning point of the game."

11:07 PM local time and IST: MATCH SUMMARY

Sunrisers Hyderabad (235/4 in 20 overs) beat Punjab Kings (202/7 in 20 overs) by 33 runs

Heinerich Klaasen 69(43) | Pat Cummins 2/34(4)
Cooper Connolly 107*(59) | Yuzvendra Chahal 1/32(4)

Catches win you matches, they say! PBKS have once again come out at the wrong side of it as a result of dropping too many catches and they slip to a third consecutive loss in the process giving away the spot at the top of the points table which now belongs to the Sunrisers Hyderabad who have put on a clinic yet again at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in front of the Orange Army becoming the first team this season to get to 14 points with qualification just a step away now and more importanltly a top-2 finish well within their reach

Cooper Connolly was one of those from the PBKS camp who was guilty of dropping a sitter in the first half, he made sure that he repaid his team with a scintillating maiden T20 century, his knock was a lone effort with the bat for his team in the end saving them the blushes but that now makes it 6 out of 10 individual centuries in this season coming in a losing cause

It also means that PBKS have now lost their last 9 games in Hyderabad, they lose their first match while chasing this season while SRH's spotless record defending 220+ targets remains in tact

A run chase of 236 always means that you need a good start with the bat in the powerplay but that is exactly where SRH won this, 23/3 inside the 4th over and from there on they never really stood a chance. Pat Cummins was the pick, with his bowling, his tactics, his usage of the bowlers and his overall captaincy. He started it off by dismissing Priyansh Arya in the very first over and then took the next two catches to remove Prabhsimran Singh and Shreyas Iyer breaking the back of the run chase very early in the piece

It could have been a bigger win but a couple of catches were dropped later on, however, that won't bother the home side who are soaring high in the points table now

19.6 Shivang Kumar to Cooper Connolly, THAT'S IT! SRH hold their nerve and go to the top of the table with this two points. For PBKS, well, they lose three on the bounce. Floated on a length, spun away outside the off-stump. Connolly with an attempt to slog sweep and misses.

19.5 Shivang Kumar to Cooper Connolly, SIX! BAM! High and handsome this time. Short outside the off-stump, went back and launched it way over wide long-off for a maximum.

First ever T20 hundred for Cooper Connolly! Shame that it will come in a losing cause but the young Aussie has been the lone warrior with the bat tonight for PBKS. A tiny celebration, the dugout applauds

19.4 Shivang Kumar to Cooper Connolly, FOUR! MAIDEN IPL HUNDRED FOR COOPER CONNELLY! What an innings this has been from Connolly! Lone hand and he's still going on here. Length delivery, turning into the leg-stump. Connolly sits on one knee, sweeps it to deep backward square-leg, one bounce into the ropes.

19.3 Shivang Kumar to Cooper Connolly, length delivery, spinning sharply back into the batter. Connolly went back and flicked it past mid-wicket and sprints back for a couple.

19.2 Shivang Kumar to Vyshak Vijaykumar, TOP EDGED AND SAFE! Short outside the off-stump, Vyshak trying to dab it away, but the extra-bounce takes the outside edge and pops up towards short third, doesn't carry.