Punjab Kings Opt to Bowl First Against Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2026 Clash

In the 49th match of IPL 2026, Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and opted to bowl first against Sunrisers Hyderabad. With PBKS leading the points table and SRH close behind, this match is crucial for both teams. Key players like Shashank Singh and Nitish Kumar Reddy are making their comebacks. Read on for detailed insights into the playing XI and match strategies.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 7, 2026, 02:19 IST

Match Overview

In a thrilling encounter at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad, Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and chose to bowl first in the 49th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.

Currently, PBKS is at the top of the points table with 13 points, while Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) sits in third place with 12 points. The outcome of this match will determine who claims the top position.

Team Updates

Shashank Singh, an all-rounder for PBKS, returns to the playing XI after missing the previous match against the Gujarat Titans, which ended in a four-wicket loss for his team.

After the toss, Iyer commented, “We will bowl first. We have learned a lot from our recent losses. Everyone is managing well despite the travel. Since SRH chased successfully last match, I thought it best to bowl first. Shashank is back in the lineup.”

Sunrisers Hyderabad's Strategy

For SRH, star all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy also makes his return to the playing XI after missing the last game.

SRH captain Pat Cummins expressed, “I would have opted to bowl first as well. We hope to perform well tonight. The crowd support has been fantastic this season. I can’t assess the pitch accurately, but we aim to set a solid score. Nitish is back for us tonight.”

Playing XI

Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Prabhsimran Singh(w), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer(c), Shashank Singh, Suryansh Shedge, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan(w), Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, Smaran Ravichandran, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Pat Cummins(c), Shivang Kumar, Eshan Malinga, Sakib Hussain.

Punjab Kings Impact Subs: Priyansh Arya, Harpreet Brar, Xavier Bartlett, Vishnu Vinod, Musheer Khan.

Sunrisers Hyderabad Impact Subs: Aniket Verma, Praful Hinge, Liam Livingstone, Harsh Dubey, Harshal Patel.