IPL 2024: SRH vs PBKS preview - Form guide, head-to-head record, team changes, weather, probable XI

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will host the already-eliminated Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Sunday afternoon in a match that could significantly impact the final standings of the IPL 2024 league stage. Having already secured a playoff spot, SRH aim to secure a top-2 finish with a win against PBKS, which would give them an extra opportunity to reach the final if table-toppers Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) defeat Rajasthan Royals (RR) later in the day.

SRH's opening pair, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, have been explosive at the top of the order and will be crucial for the home side. While their last game against Gujarat Titans was washed out, Head and Sharma had smashed 167 for no loss in just 9.4 overs against Lucknow Super Giants in their previous match. The SRH bowlers have also hit their stride in recent outings, and under the leadership of Pat Cummins, the team has truly turned their fortunes around this season.

On the other hand, Punjab Kings have nothing to lose, currently sitting 9th on the table. They could still play the spoiler for SRH, just as they did against RR in their previous game. With Shikhar Dhawan injured and Sam Curran back home, PBKS have announced Jitesh Sharma as captain for the final game. It remains to be seen if the wicketkeeper-batter, who has been out of form, can rally his team for a spirited performance to finish the season on a high.

Team News

Sunrisers Hyderabad are expected to field their strongest XI as they vie for a top-2 finish. For SRH, the form of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma at the top will be pivotal, while their bowlers, rejuvenated in the latter part of the season, will need to continue their strong performances.

For Punjab Kings, several key players are unavailable, especially in the overseas department. Liam Livingstone, Jonny Bairstow, Kagiso Rabada, Chris Woakes, and Sam Curran are all absent, leaving PBKS with only two foreign players—Rilee Rossouw and Nathan Ellis—to rely on.

Head-to-head record

The two teams have faced each other 22 times, with SRH dominating the count with 15 wins to Punjab’s 7.

Weather report

It’s going to be a humid late afternoon in Hyderabad and rain could play a part, with 50% chance of thundershowers during the contest.

Probable XIs

SRH Probable XI: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Sanvir Singh, Marco Jansen Pat Cummins (c), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat (Impact sub: T Natarajan)

PBKS Probable XI: Prabhsimran Singh, Atharva Taide, Rilee Rossouw, Shashank Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Ashutosh Sharma, Rishi Dhawan, Harshal Patel, Nathan Ellis, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh

Full squads (few players not available)

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Nitish Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Marco Jansen, Pat Cummins (c), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan, Sanvir Singh, Mayank Markande, Glenn Phillips, Jaydev Unadkat, Umran Malik, Aiden Markram, Rahul Tripathi, Washington Sundar, Anmolpreet Singh, Upendra Yadav, Jhatavedh Subramanyan, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Akash Maharaj Singh

Punjab Kings: Jonny Bairstow, Prabhsimran Singh, Rilee Rossouw, Shashank Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sam Curran, Ashutosh Sharma, Harshal Patel, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh, Vidhwath Kaverappa, Harpreet Brar, Nathan Ellis, Chris Woakes, Rishi Dhawan, Harpreet Singh Bhatia, Tanay Thyagarajan, Shikhar Dhawan, Atharva Taide, Shivam Singh, Prince Choudhary, Vishwanath Singh

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