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IPL 2025 Preview: Sunrisers Hyderabad v Punjab Kings
Struggling Sunrisers Search for Identity Against Confident Kings
Team News & Tactical Notes
Sunrisers Hyderabad’s campaign is on the verge of collapse. Four defeats in their last five games has left them scrambling for consistency, direction, and belief. To realistically stay in playoff contention, they’ll need at least six wins from their remaining nine matches—plus a clean run through the knockout stage. That seems a tall order for a side currently plagued by tactical indecision and waning confidence.
They began the season with heavy-hitting bravado but have now become one of the lowest-scoring sides in the tournament. Frequent collapses have led to knee-jerk changes in the playing XI, as SRH search for both balance and identity. Kamindu Mendis and Jaydev Unadkat have been brought in, with Harshal Patel dropped.
Probable SRH XI: Head (Simarjeet sub), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Tilak Varma, Kamindu Mendis, Pat Cummins, Mohammed Shami, Arshad Ansari, Jaydev Unadkat
Punjab Kings, by contrast, are trending upward. Three wins in four—including a nerve-wracking defense of 219 against Chennai—have put them in a solid position for a playoff push. However, allowing CSK to reach 209 might point to vulnerabilities in their death bowling.
Priyansh Arya’s form at the top of the order has been a major boost. His century against Chennai set the platform for that crucial win. However, the franchise will be hoping for more impact from Yuzvendra Chahal, who hasn’t quite lived up to his billing after switching teams.
Probable PBKS XI: Arya (Yash Thakur sub), Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Marcus Stoinis, Nehal Wadhera, Glenn Maxwell, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh
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Pitch Report
Hyderabad has traditionally been known as a high-scoring venue—reliable for runs and six-hitting. But things have shifted. The hosts are experimenting with a slower surface in a bid to aid their struggling bowling unit. Against Gujarat, that surface was reportedly used and yielded just 152 runs for the home team.
If this “slower pitch” becomes the norm, SRH might be compromising their explosive batting in favor of giving their bowlers a fighting chance. That could work if they commit to the plan and recalibrate their batting approach accordingly.
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Match Outlook
This match is finely poised. Sunrisers are in flux, lacking rhythm and clarity, but still possess a dangerous core of hitters and match-winners. Punjab have momentum but remain susceptible to pressure when defending targets.
If SRH’s tactical tweaks—particularly the surface adjustment—click into place, this could be their opportunity to reignite their campaign. For Punjab, another win would solidify their playoff credentials and show they can adapt across conditions.
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