Match overview
Punjab Kings chased down 220 to beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 6 wickets at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on 11 April 2026. Sunrisers posted 219 for 6 after a powerplay of 105 without loss, a total that looked close to match-winning on a ground where 175 is the average first-innings score. Punjab Kings were undeterred. Their own powerplay produced 93 runs without loss, and they completed the chase at 223 for 4. Shreyas Iyer was named Player of the Match for holding the innings together as wickets fell in the middle phase.
Sunrisers Hyderabad's first innings was front-loaded in a way rarely seen at this venue. The powerplay return of 105 is the kind of platform that puts opposition bowling attacks on the back foot before a ball is bowled in the chase. Yet Punjab's reply started at a similar breakneck pace and they never really fell behind the required rate. Three wickets in the middle overs between the 7th and 16th over cost Punjab 86 runs but those were also the runs that kept them ahead. Only one wicket fell in the death overs.
SRH came into this fixture with mixed 2026 form, having beaten Kolkata Knight Riders but lost to both Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore. Punjab Kings arrived in better rhythm, with wins over Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans in their two completed 2026 fixtures.
Venue and conditions
The Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium at Mullanpur is a relatively young IPL venue with 14 matches of data to draw on. The average first-innings score of 175 and second-innings score of 165 suggest a ground that leans modestly towards the side batting first, though the 50 per cent chase success rate indicates that is not a decisive advantage.
Powerplay conditions here typically favour batters. The venue average of 56 runs in the first six overs is moderate by IPL standards, which makes SRH's 105 in that phase all the more striking. At the death, the ground averages 42 runs in the final four overs; both sides came in slightly above that, with SRH posting 43 and Punjab Kings 44. There was no decisive phase where one team ran away from the ground norms in the final overs.
Toss bias is pronounced at Mullanpur. Captains winning the toss have chosen to field in 71 per cent of matches, and Punjab's decision to do exactly that fitted the established template. The venue's 50-50 chase record is, however, a reminder that inserting the opposition is no guarantee of success.
How to watch
IPL 2026 is broadcast in the United Kingdom on Sky Sports Cricket. Matches are available live via the Sky Go app for existing subscribers, or through a NOW TV day pass for those without a Sky subscription. Check Sky's published schedule for UK kickoff times, which typically run from early afternoon through to evening depending on the match slot in India.
Recent form
Sunrisers Hyderabad arrive at this fixture in inconsistent 2026 shape. Their three results this season read loss, win, loss, with the victory coming against Kolkata Knight Riders and defeats to Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore. Looking further back into 2025, SRH had beaten both KKR and RCB, which suggests their current IPL campaign has not yet found a settled gear.
Punjab Kings looked in better touch coming into this match. They had beaten Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans in 2026, with only a no-result against Kolkata Knight Riders interrupting their run. Their 2025 season ended on a mixed note, with a loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore offset by a win over Mumbai Indians. On balance, Punjab carried more momentum into the Mullanpur fixture, and the scorecard reflects that.
