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Cooper Connolly’s century not enough as Punjab Kings found themselves in a spot of bother after suffering their third consecutive defeat in IPL 2026. This time, they went down to Sunrisers Hyderabad by 33 runs in a high-scoring clash at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium.

Fielding lapses once again hurt PBKS, with dropped chances proving costly. The defeat also pushed SRH to the top of the points table

SRH batters fire on all cylinders to post a massive total

Invited to bat first by Shreyas Iyer, Sunrisers got off to a flying start once again. Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head came out all guns blazing and stitched together a 54-run partnership in just 21 deliveries, putting the PBKS bowlers under immediate pressure.

Abhishek scored a quick 35 off 13 balls, while Head followed it up with a brisk 38 off 19. The momentum continued as Ishan Kishan played a brilliant knock of 55 off 32 deliveries, keeping the scoreboard ticking at a rapid pace.

Once again, Heinrich Klaasen proved to be the star of the show. He continued his outstanding form this season with a superb 69 off 43 balls. Notably, Klaasen was dropped early in his innings when he was on just 9, a costly miss that allowed him to build a match-defining knock.

Nitish Kumar Reddy provided the finishing touch with an unbeaten 29 off just 13 deliveries.

The combined batting effort powered SRH to a massive total of 235 for 4 in their 20 overs.

PBKS bowlers struggle amid costly fielding lapses

It was yet another disappointing outing for the Punjab Kings bowling unit. Apart from Yuzvendra Chahal, who picked up one wicket for 32 runs in his four overs, none of the bowlers managed to make an impact.

Marco Jansen endured a particularly tough outing, conceding 61 runs in his four overs without a wicket. Lockie Ferguson and Vijaykumar Vyshak also went for plenty, as SRH batters dominated throughout the innings.

A major reason behind the poor bowling figures was also the sloppy fielding effort. PBKS fielders dropped as many as three catches at crucial moments which proved extremely costly.

The bowling attack now finds itself under massive scrutiny after failing to contain the opposition once again.

Early collapse derails chase despite Cooper Connolly’s heroics

Chasing a daunting target, PBKS suffered an early collapse as both their openers fell cheaply under pressure. Priyansh Arya was dismissed for 1, while Prabhsimran Singh managed just 3, leaving the side in early trouble.

Another massive blow followed soon as skipper Shreyas Iyer departed for just 5, pushing PBKS further on the back foot.

Amid the collapse, Cooper Connolly stood tall and played a sensational knock. The young batter remained unbeaten on 107 off 59 deliveries, smashing 7 fours and 8 sixes in a lone battle.

Marcus Stoinis contributed with a quick 28 off 14 balls, while Suryansh Shedge added 25 off 17. However, the required run rate kept climbing and no other batter managed to provide sustained support.

Connolly’s brilliant effort ultimately went in vain as Punjab Kings finished at 202 for 7, falling short by 33 runs.

Clinical bowling display seals dominant win for SRH

SRH delivered a disciplined bowling performance to back up their strong batting display. Skipper Pat Cummins led from the front, picking up two crucial wickets and maintaining control in his four overs.

Shivang Kumar impressed once again in the middle overs, claiming two wickets, while others chipped in with a wicket each.

Points table update after SRH vs PBKS clash

With this victory, Hyderabad have moved to the top of the points table with seven wins and 14 points, along with a healthy net run rate.

Punjab Kings, on the other hand, have slipped to second place after suffering three consecutive defeats. Their early dominance in the tournament is now under pressure, and they will need to regroup quickly to stay on track for the playoffs.