Punjab Kings (PBKS) are not planning to spend much time at ‘home’ this season, having already played one game in New Chandigarh. Historically, the team’s better results have often come on the road. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) arrive looking to get comfortable in New Chandigarh, much like PBKS have over the years.
New Chandigarh’s Unfamiliar Territory for Punjab Kings
Homecoming for PBKS has rarely carried the weight it does for some other franchises. New Chandigarh is still not a venue they instinctively understand, having lost 15 of their 21 matches there. The idea of yet another “home” has perhaps needed time to settle for a team that has drifted across Dharamsala, Pune, Indore and Mohali over the years.
There has been some improvement, with four wins in seven matches since last year, but there is still a long way to go.
Sunrisers Hyderabad Seek Comfort Away From Home
Sunrisers Hyderabad have won only two of their last seven matches at home across the last two seasons. The idea that home is about how quickly you can make a place yours was reinforced for SRH not too long ago. Mohammed Shami, whom they traded away before this season, returned with Lucknow Super Giants and beat them in Hyderabad with a slower ball he developed just four days ago.
While SRH do have Harshal Patel and Liam Livingstone, both of whom have played for PBKS before, they lack the recency factor that Shami carried. Abhishek Sharma is the closest they come to that sense of familiarity.
Abhishek Sharma’s Punjab Connection
Born in Amritsar and brought up in Punjab cricket, this part of the world must feel far more familiar to Abhishek Sharma than most of the PBKS players. He has made a habit of doing well against this opposition, with an average of over 52 and strike-rate just under 200. For SRH, a lot will depend on how Abhishek goes at the top because without Pat Cummins, and without the same freakish frequency with which Travishek delivered the last couple of years, SRH have looked a bit lost.
Match Conditions at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium
The match is scheduled for Saturday, April 11, 2026 at 3:30 PM local at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, New Chandigarh. The surface here is usually well rolled and slightly dry. Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill said it “never looked like a 210-220 wicket” and added that hitting down the ground became harder as the ball got older.
- Dew will play no part in a day game, so the captain winning the toss could look to bat first.
- Lockie Ferguson is yet to join the squad.
- Shreyas Iyer, who got hit on the hand in the opening match, seems to have recovered from it well.
SRH arrive in New Chandigarh chasing two points and carrying happy memories, but with this home venue still up for grabs, PBKS have their own ground to reclaim.