Hyderabad, May 6 Shreyas Iyer was straightforward in his comments after Punjab Kings' 33-run loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 49th match of IPL 2026.
He said, "It was a bit too much because we dropped catches at the start. The wicket kept getting slower. They played good cricket and showed us how to win."
His remarks highlighted a night filled with missed opportunities and a strong performance from Sunrisers Hyderabad, leading to a 33-run defeat at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Uppal.
Punjab's early fielding mistakes set a negative tone for the game. Dropped catches of Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen proved costly, as both batters took advantage and scored crucial half-centuries. SRH started aggressively, with Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head putting pressure on the opposing team during the powerplay. Kishan then anchored the middle phase with a quick 55, while Klaasen's fluid knock helped Hyderabad exceed the 200-run mark, making the chase very difficult for PBKS.
Reflecting on his team's performance, Iyer said, "I feel we got off to a great start in the tournament, and everyone was in a good space... If we continue with the same form, that won’t help us." Despite an encouraging start to the season, this defeat revealed issues that PBKS needs to fix.
The chase never really gained traction for Punjab Kings. SRH’s bowlers struck early, dismissing both openers within the first seven balls and quickly following up with Iyer’s key wicket during the powerplay. At 57/3 after six overs, the required run rate had already risen sharply, putting the visitors on the back foot.
Marcus Stoinis and Cooper Connolly tried to steady the innings with a counterattacking partnership, but the task was still challenging. Connolly stood out, showing composure and skill under pressure. Iyer praised the young player, saying, "Connolly is phenomenal. His mindset is top-notch. He has a knack for scoring big runs in pressure situations."
Connolly went on to score a fantastic unbeaten 107, anchoring the innings until the end, but did not receive enough support. At one point, the requirement grew to 106 runs off 31 balls, making the chase nearly impossible.
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