Hyderabad, April 11 (IANS) Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) return home with their backs to the wall, desperate to turn their fortunes around as they take on a confident Punjab Kings (PBKS) side in Match 27 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 on Saturday at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium here on Saturday. After an electrifying start to the season, SRH have stumbled into a worrying slide that threatens to derail their campaign unless they act swiftly.

SRH were being hailed as the team to beat after they put on a breathtaking batting display to post 286/3 against Rajasthan Royals — the second-highest team total in IPL history. The victory by 44 runs was not just dominant; it was a statement of intent.

With the likes of Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen, and Abhishek Sharma in their ranks, Hyderabad seemed poised to rewrite T20 batting templates with an ultra-aggressive approach that had bowlers on the back foot.

However, since that record-breaking night, the ‘Orange Army’ have found themselves undone by the very strategy that earned them early plaudits. In their bid to maintain sky-high run rates, they’ve frequently lost clusters of wickets at the top and failed to bat through innings with composure.

Over-reliance on their power-hitters has exposed the middle order, and the absence of calculated partnerships has proved costly in close games. SRH’s inability to adapt on slower surfaces and recalibrate their attack-first mindset has seen them lose ground on the points table, slipping into the bottom four.

Their bowling unit, while featuring big names like Pat Cummins, and Mohammad Shami, has also struggled to contain opposition batters during the powerplay and death overs. Add to that an underwhelming return from their spin department, and SRH's issues have compounded across departments.

In contrast, PBKS have hit their stride at the right time. Fresh off back-to-back wins, Shreyas Iyer’s men are beginning to look like genuine title contenders. At the heart of their success is young opener Priyansh Arya, who stunned the league with a 39-ball century — the fastest by an uncapped player in IPL history. Alongside him, Shashank Singh, has provided consistency and flair with the bat.

PBKS’ bowling attack has also come together nicely, with Arshdeep Singh leading the charge. Their ability to take wickets at crucial intervals has often allowed them to defend moderate totals or restrict opponents during chases.

The head-to-head battle promises fireworks. While SRH will be banking on their top order to rediscover form, PBKS will look to exploit Hyderabad’s fragility with early breakthroughs. Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen will be crucial to SRH’s hopes, while PBKS will once again expect Arya to provide a blistering start.

When will the SRH vs PBKS IPL 2025 Match be played?

The SRH vs PBKS IPL 2025 Match will be played on Saturday.

Where will the SRH vs PBKS IPL 2025 Match be played?

The SRH vs PBKS IPL 2025 Match will be played at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

Where to watch the broadcast of the SRH vs PBKS IPL 2025 Match?

The broadcast of the SRH vs PBKS IPL 2025 Match will be available on the Star Sports network.

Where to watch the live streaming of the SRH vs PBKS IPL 2025 Match?

The live streaming of the SRH vs PBKS IPL 2025 Match will be available on JioHotstar.

Squads:

Punjab Kings: Harnoor Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Priyansh Arya, Pyla Avinash, Shashank Singh, Shreyas Iyer (c), Aaron Hardie, Azmatullah Omarzai, Glenn Maxwell, Marco Jansen, Marcus Stoinis, Musheer Khan, Suryansh Shedge, Josh Inglis (wk), Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Vishnu Vinod (wk), Arshdeep Singh, Harpreet Brar, Kuldeep Sen, Lockie Ferguson, Praveen Dubey, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur and Yuzvendra Chahal

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Abhinav Manohar, Aniket Verma, Atharva Taide, Sachin Baby, Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Kamindu Mendis, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Wiaan Mulder, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Adam Zampa, Eshan Malinga, Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammad Shami, Pat Cummins (c), Rahul Chahar, Simarjeet Singh and Zeeshan Ansari