IPL 2026: Connolly ton in vain as batting muscle fires SRH to top of the table

“ Catches win matches” is probably one of the oldest and most overused clichés in cricket. But it couldn’t have been truer on Wednesday. Punjab Kings (PBKS) dropped three catches and missed a stumping; Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) dropped two but held onto most of the important ones.

The final result? SRH, despite a maiden Cooper Connolly century, marched on to defeat PBKS by 33 runs and displace them at the top of the points table.

Travis Head (38 off 19) and Abhishek Sharma (35 off 13) got SRH off to a flying start. Heinrich Klaasen (69 off 43) and Ishan Kishan (55 off 32) made use of the missed chances, smashing quick fifties, while fit-again Nitish Kumar Reddy provided the finishing touch with 29 not out off 13 as SRH finished on 235 for 4.

SRH had never lost defending a 220-plus target in the IPL and that stat remained intact. Connolly – who had two lives – smashed his maiden century in any format, finishing unbeaten on 107 off 59 balls, but got little support from the rest as PBKS were handed a third straight defeat.

With the win, SRH are now leading the table with 14 points, while PBKS remain on 13. (ESPNcricinfo ) 

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