Despite a shaky start to the season, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) remain a team no one is willing to underestimate. Punjab Kings (PBKS) know that all too well as they gear up for their clash in Hyderabad, while the day’s opening fixture sees table-toppers Gujarat Titans (GT) take on a Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) outfit seeking consistency — and a spark from their high-priced captain Rishabh Pant.
PBKS Not Taking SRH Lightly: “They’re Still Dangerous” – Wadhera
SRH have just one win in five, but PBKS batter Nehal Wadhera insists form can be deceptive in the IPL.
SRH is a very dangerous side. Though they lost a few games, it does not mean that they are of any less concern to us. They are definitely a strong team on paper. We are not taking this game any lightly.
PBKS, with three wins from four matches, are riding high on confidence — especially after youngster Priyansh Arya’s explosive century against CSK.
All the guys look confident… Priyansh played one of the finest knocks in the IPL. Shashank Singh and Marco Jansen too contributed brilliantly. The dressing room is positive.
While Wadhera himself has scored 114 runs so far, it’s skipper Shreyas Iyer who leads PBKS in runs (168), anchoring a well-rounded batting order. PBKS also boast firepower in the bowling department with Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh and Marco Jansen all in good form.
SRH, though, have the firepower to turn things around. After their record-breaking 286/6 against MI — the second-highest IPL total ever — their campaign nosedived, but any team with Travis Head, Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen in the mix remains a threat.
SRH have historically dominated PBKS, winning 16 out of their 23 encounters.
Probable XIs: Sunrisers Hyderabad: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Aniket Verma, Kamindu Mendis, Pat Cummins (capt), Zeeshan Ansari, Jaydev Unadkat/Harshal Patel, Mohammed Shami
Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer (capt), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Yash Thakur
GT's Calm Confidence vs LSG’s Urgent Need for Pant to Fire
In the day’s first match at the Ekana Stadium, Gujarat Titans aim to stretch their winning streak against an LSG side still searching for fluency.
GT batter Shahrukh Khan summed up their philosophy: “We are a very simple team with simple methods. Every team is strong, but we focus on how we play our cricket… We don’t get too high after wins or too low after losses.”
Since their defeat in the opening match, GT have bounced back with wins over MI, RCB and SRH. Sai Sudharsan has stepped up with 273 runs and Shubman Gill’s captaincy continues to impress — even if he is yet to deliver a big score this season.
On the other side, LSG find themselves in the middle of the table. Nicholas Pooran is in red-hot form with 288 runs and the Orange Cap, but skipper Rishabh Pant is under pressure to deliver. The ₹27 crore signing has just 19 runs in four innings and desperately needs a statement knock.
“There’s no doubt about Pant’s talent, but this kind of form is not what anyone expected after that price tag. He needs to lead from the front, and soon,” said an LSG insider.
GT have won four of their five past meetings with LSG and are again favourites thanks to a settled bowling unit led by Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj and R Sai Kishore. Kagiso Rabada will miss the game, but GT still look well-equipped.
Probable XIs: Lucknow Super Giants: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), Ayush Badoni, David Miller, Shardul Thakur, Avesh Khan, Akash Deep, Digvesh Rathi, Ravi Bishnoi
Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill (capt), B Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Shahrukh Khan, Washington Sundar, Rashid Khan, R Sai Kishore, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Arshad Khan
Saturday’s Fixtures:
Match 1: Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans – Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
Match 2: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Punjab Kings – Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
Two matches. Four teams. A day that could redefine form books and reputations.
