Struggling SRH aims for turnaround against Punjab Kings

Sunrisers Hyderabad struggles as Punjab Kings soar, with Shreyas Iyer shining and Priyansh Arya making history.

A campaign that started with Sunrisers Hyderabad being a title favourite has quickly fizzled out, with the battered and bruised team now looking at ever-decreasing odds of sealing an IPL playoff spot.

As head coach Daniel Vettori lamented after the defeat to Gujarat Titans, nothing has clicked for SRH thus far, with the side coming up short in all three departments.

A six-day break since that loss would have given Sunrisers time to rethink strategy and combinations and be more alive to the challenges of the pitch potentially becoming slow in phases.

The visiting Punjab Kings, on the other hand, is flying high, with three wins and just one defeat. It has won all of its matches on the road and will head confidently into the clash with SRH at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, which isn’t an intimidating place for visiting teams anymore, on Saturday.

While Shreyas Iyer has struck a purple patch, with 168 runs at an astounding strike rate of 200, all eyes will also be on young opener Priyansh Arya after he smashed the fastest century (42-ball 103 vs Chennai Super Kings) by an uncapped player in IPL history.

Should Kings earn the right to set a target, it can take the fight to the home side in its own trademark explosive way, with a comparatively meatier bowling attack giving it an edge. While the Uppal stadium has seen some rain this week, SRH will be happy to settle for a few drops of good luck to turn things around.