Sunrisers Hyderabad Seek New Beginning Against Promising Punjab Kings

Sunrisers Hyderabad are seeking a change of fortunes when they take on Punjab Kings in their upcoming IPL match. Things began on a high note for SRH this season when they piled on an impressive 286 runs against Rajasthan Royals and emerged victorious by 44 runs. That blistering beginning had fans thinking this might be their year. But their all-out attacking approach has not been successful since then. The team has lost four consecutive matches and is now at the bottom of the points table with the worst net run rate of -1.629. They have not scored even 170 runs in their last three games and the all-out attack strategy has only yielded disappointment.

The Sunrisers are loaded with big guns such as Travis Head Abhishek Sharma Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen but none of them have been able to perform consistently. Travis Head began with some fine scores but his form has fallen woefully. In the recent games his scores have fallen to single digits. Abhishek Sharma has not done much either and their highest opening stand till now is only 15 runs and it reflects how much they are struggling at the top. Ishan Kishan played beautifully in the first game when he scored an unbeaten century but since then he has not been able to get into his rhythm. Klaasen who is renowned for his middle overs power hitting has also not made a huge impact.

In spite of all this the team is not looking to alter its strategy. Coach Daniel Vettori has stated that their game is okay but they need to read the pitch and situations in matches better. He feels that they need not alter their attacking strategy but need to be more prudent in when and how they do it. To him, it is not the style that has been the problem but the application of the same in varying situations.

Though maximum focus has gone on their disappointing batting SRH's bowling hasn't been all that better either. They possess a solid bowling attack with the likes of Pat Cummins Mohammed Shami and Harshal Patel but even these seasoned players have not been able to perform. The bowlers have not been able to get early wickets and in the middle overs they have not been able to check the run flow or pick important wickets. The failure to get breakthroughs is costing the team dearly.

Meanwhile Punjab Kings are on a great run. With new captain Shreyas Iyer the team won three out of four matches and is now placed at the fourth spot in the points table. Not only has Iyer captained well with the bat but he has also been making clever fielding decisions. The confidence and vibrancy of Punjab Kings is clearly evident in their performances.

One of the season's greatest surprises has been young opener Priyansh Arya. The new man made headlines with a remarkable century against Chennai Super Kings while other batsmen were struggling to score. His aggressive batting has brought new vigor to the side. In addition to him Punjab Kings also possess good bowlers such as Arshdeep Singh Lockie Ferguson Marco Jansen and Yuzvendra Chahal who have all played well till now. Their bowling unit has been tight and consistent applying pressure on the opposition and maintaining the run rate in check.

With two teams heading in opposite directions this game is set to be an interesting encounter. Sunrisers Hyderabad are in need of a win to revive their campaign whereas Punjab Kings will seek to take the momentum further and remain close to the top of the table. SRH possess the talent and experience to come back but they must learn to work as a team and play with better game sense. Each and every game from now onwards is a must-win for them.

This confrontation between a not-so-confident team and a team brimming with confidence could be a turning point for both. Sunrisers will look to play at home to give them the thrust they are looking for while Punjab Kings will look to keep their run going under Shreyas Iyer's intelligent captaincy. Whether SRH can pull the reset button or Punjab Kings go on their winning spree, time will tell but the fans are in for a high-intensity match full of drama and blockbuster moments.