Sunrisers Hyderabad made a dream start with the ball in their IPL 2026 clash against Punjab Kings, as captain Pat Cummins and Nitish Kumar Reddy struck early to derail the chase. Defending a massive total of 236, SRH reduced PBKS to a shocking 4/2 within the first seven deliveries, putting immediate pressure on the visitors. Cummins set the tone in the opening over with a well-directed short ball to Priyansh Arya.
The batter attempted an aggressive hook but failed to connect cleanly, sending the ball high towards deep square leg, where Eshan Malinga completed a composed catch. In the very next over, Nitish Kumar Reddy compounded Punjab’s troubles. Bowling a fuller delivery outside off, he forced Prabhsimran Singh into a mistimed lofted shot, which resulted in a leading edge.
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Pat Cummins, showing great awareness, tracked back and safely held the catch at cover. The early breakthroughs triggered a collapse, and SRH capitalised with disciplined bowling.
#SRH striking early 👊🧡
🎥 Pat Cummins and Nitish Kumar Reddy get their plans spot on against the #PBKS openers 🔥
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/8L0gAuxW78#TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #SRHvPBKS | @SunRisers pic.twitter.com/BtXFko02ko
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 6, 2026
Malinga soon joined the act, dismissing Punjab skipper Shreyas Iyer for a cautious five, leaving the chasing side struggling to rebuild. At 130/6 after 15 overs, PBKS found themselves well behind the required rate, with Cummins emerging as the standout performer with two key wickets.
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Earlier in the match, Hyderabad had posted a formidable 235/4, thanks to a collective batting effort. Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head provided a flying start with quickfire knocks of 35 and 39 respectively. Ishan Kishan maintained the momentum with a fluent 55, while Heinrich Klaasen anchored the innings with a commanding 69 off 43 balls. Nitish Kumar Reddy added the finishing touch with a brisk cameo.
With this dominant display, SRH not only moved closer to revenge for their earlier loss to Punjab but also strengthened their chances of climbing to the top of the IPL 2026 points table.
