Pat Cummins Praises SRH Batters After Comprehensive Win Against Punjab Kings

Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins starred with the ball and inspired his team to a 33-run victory over Punjab Kings in IPL 2026, earning the Player of the Match award.

IPL 2026: ‘Defending target against Punjab Kings was clinical’, says POTM Cummins (Image Source: IANS)

Skipper Pat Cummins led the way with both his bowling and his words, earning the Player of the Match award for his impressive 2/40 as Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Punjab Kings by 33 runs at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Uppal.

Reflecting on the game, Cummins said, “I fell really good. Came into this fresh. Not much has worked for any team in the powerplay, really. We've got lots of options. Punjab are a really good side. I thought the batters getting off to what we did was sensational. No matter what the score is, bowling second against that side was clinical.”

SRH’s victory was built on strong batting followed by disciplined bowling, with Cummins playing a key role in both areas. After an explosive start from Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, Hyderabad kept their momentum through the middle overs. Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen, both given second chances due to dropped catches, capitalized with smooth half-centuries that pushed SRH past the 200-run mark, setting up a tough total.

Cummins acknowledged the team’s ability to adjust to conditions, especially on a pitch that wasn't entirely straightforward. “We're pretty good at playing at our pace. It's just trying to max out. We're not good during the day at home! It gripped a little, which suits our bowlers. We've seen it before and we can adjust,” he noted, highlighting SRH’s awareness of strategy.

SRH’s victory was built on strong batting followed by disciplined bowling, with Cummins playing a key role in both areas. After an explosive start from Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, Hyderabad kept their momentum through the middle overs. Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen, both given second chances due to dropped catches, capitalized with smooth half-centuries that pushed SRH past the 200-run mark, setting up a tough total.

Although Marcus Stoinis and Cooper Connolly tried to recover, the early losses were too damaging. Connolly stood firm with a brave unbeaten 107, showing composure under pressure, but he lacked support from the other end as the required run rate kept increasing. “Good result for Connolly. Good to see the Aussies do well. Hope so it's our season."

Article Source: IANS