Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will be hosting Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the second game on the doubleheader Sunday. The Orange Army are currently at the bottom of the points table with them losing both the games they have played so far. They will be keen to open their account with a victory over the Kings tonight. Meanwhile, Punjab Kings (PBKS) is yet to suffer a defeat in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023.
Playing under the captaincy of Shikhar Dhawan, the Mohali-based franchise has recorded wins against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and the Rajasthan Royals (RR) so far in the competition. PBKS will be keen to continue their winning momentum and complete a hat-trick of wins tonight at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium.
Ahead of the match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings, here are three player matchups to watch out for.
#3 Shikhar Dhawan vs. Umran Malik
Shikhar Dhawan has been in top form for PBKS this season. He played a match-winning knock of 86 runs for PBKS against the RR in their last match. Dhawan will aim to play another match-winning knock for the Mohali-based franchise, while Sunrisers Hyderabad will hope that one of their pace bowlers dismisses the PBKS captain early on.
Umran Malik possesses express pace and is capable of troubling Dhawan at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. It will be interesting to follow the battle between the ‘Jammu Express’ and the Punjab Kings captain tonight.
#2 Harpreet Brar vs. Abhishek Sharma
SRH and PBKS locked horns with each other in the last league game of the season the IPL. Harpreet Brar stole the show in that game by taking three wickets for his team. PBKS will expect another top performance from their Southpaw spinner against SRH. Sunrisers Hyderabad, meanwhile, will hope that their left-handed opener Abhishek Sharma can fire on all cylinders. Sharma scored 43 runs off 32 balls in the last game against PBKS before Brar dismissed him.
#3 Nathan Ellis vs. Harry Brook
Sunrisers Hyderabad spent ₹13.25 crore to rope in Harry Brook at the IPL 2023 Auction. The England batter has performed well in other T20 leagues but is yet to get going in the IPL. Brook will be desperate to play a big knock tonight for SRH. Meanwhile, Nathan Ellis will try to ensure that Brook does not score too many. Ellis scalped a four-wicket haul and won the Man of the Match award against RR. All eyes will be on the battle between Ellis and Brook tonight in IPL 2023.
