📊 IPL 2026 Points Table (Before M31)
#TeamPWLNRPtsNRR
1PBKS650111+1.20
2RCB752010+1.10
3DC ⬅️74308+0.60
4RR74308+1.50
5SRH ⬅️63306+0.30
6GT63306−0.10
7LSG62404−0.55
8CSK62404−2.00
9KKR71513−1.40
10MI61502−0.71

PBKS won M29 vs LSG (5W total — league leaders). KKR got their first win in M28 vs RR! RR dropped to 4th. DC beat RCB in M26 (David Miller 3 sixes to win). SRH beat CSK M27 by 10 runs (Abhishek 59/22 balls, Malinga 3/29 POTM). A SRH win tonight puts them on 8 pts — level with DC and RR, forcing a top-4 fight. DC need to consolidate 3rd place.

🔥 SRH — Momentum Builders with Two Consecutive Wins

After a topsy-turvy start that saw them win early (vs KKR), then lose to LSG and PBKS, SRH have rediscovered their form emphatically. Two straight wins — a 57-run demolition of RR (Ishan Kishan leading, Praful Hinge’s debut 4/34) and a 10-run win over CSK (Abhishek Sharma 59/22 balls, Travis Head adding his anchor knock, Eshan Malinga 3/29 POTM) — have pushed them into playoff contention at 6 points.

The key tactical change: SRH gave young uncapped bowlers Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain their opportunities — and both delivered. Their pace attack, initially perceived as their weakness (Pat Cummins is linked up with the squad but still unavailable for this game), has been strengthened by Malinga’s Sri Lankan slinging action and Hinge’s accuracy. Abhishek Sharma (59/22 balls vs CSK — three fours and four sixes) has been the most explosive batting opening performance of the last two weeks. Heinrich Klaasen (59/39 vs CSK, current Orange Cap holder with 224 runs) provides the middle-innings stability.

⚠️ Pat Cummins update: The SRH captain has rejoined the squad but “remains unavailable” for tonight’s match. Ishan Kishan continues as acting captain. Once Cummins returns (potentially M32 or M33), SRH gain their best pace bowling option — but tonight they must win without him.
⚡ DC — Riding the Momentum of an RCB Scalp

Delhi Capitals’ M26 win over RCB at Chinnaswamy (M26, April 18) was the result everyone predicted was difficult: DC chased 176 with KL Rahul’s counter-attacking 57 off 38 balls after the top order fell to 18/3 in 3 overs, and David Miller’s stunning late-innings hitting (three consecutive sixes off Romario Shepherd to win the match in dramatic fashion). The win moved DC to 8 pts (3rd place) and confirmed that their squad — while inconsistent — has genuine match-winning quality.

DC’s bowling is their primary strength: Mitchell Starc (Australia’s left-arm express — 140+ km/h, naturally reverses the ball in death overs), Kuldeep Yadav (left-arm wrist-spin, 40+ wickets in IPL career), Lungi Ngidi (South African right-arm pace), and T Natarajan (left-arm death specialist with toe-crushing yorkers). Against SRH’s explosive top order (Abhishek, Head, Klaasen), this is the most potent bowling attack they’ve faced in their recent winning streak.

📋 Both Teams’ Recent Form — M26, M27 Scorecards

M26 (April 18) — DC beat RCB by 6 wkts at Chinnaswamy

RCB innings175/820 overs (after 146/3 in 15 ov — DC choked them)
DC chase179/419.5 overs — Won by 6 wkts
KL Rahul (DC)5738 balls — Counter-attack from 18/3
David Miller (DC)3 sixes last overFinished match off Shepherd

M27 (April 18) — SRH beat CSK by 10 runs at Hyderabad

SRH innings194Abhishek 59/22 balls, Klaasen 59/39
Abhishek Sharma (SRH)5922 balls — 75-run opening stand with Head!
CSK chase18410 runs short — Malinga 3/29, Sakib 1
Eshan Malinga (SRH)3/29POTM — Death bowling excellence
🔑 Three Key Player Battles
Abhishek Sharma (SRH) vs Mitchell Starc (DC) — Powerplay
Abhishek’s 59 off 22 balls vs CSK featured three fours and four sixes — pure powerplay devastation. Mitchell Starc’s left-arm pace at 140+ km/h — inswinging to Abhishek’s left-hand batting — is the match’s most anticipated powerplay bowling contest. Starc must bowl the full delivery that shapes in late (Abhishek has trouble with balls coming back into his body). If Abhishek survives Starc’s first 2 overs scoring 20+, SRH are on track for 200+.
Kuldeep Yadav (DC) vs Heinrich Klaasen (SRH)
Kuldeep’s left-arm wrist-spin vs Klaasen’s aggressive middle-order batting. Klaasen (224 runs, 4th on Orange Cap) attacks spinners by advancing down the pitch and hitting over mid-on. Kuldeep’s wrong’un (turning into Klaasen’s right-hand batting) is his primary weapon — if he can turn one sharply in overs 11-14 and deceive Klaasen, SRH lose their most reliable run-accumulator. Kuldeep averages fewer runs against right-handers in T20s than left-handers.
Eshan Malinga (SRH) vs DC Death Batting
The Sri Lankan pacer (3/29 in M27 as POTM) brings an unorthodox slinging action at 135+ km/h — his low release point generates late bounce and unusual angles that standard T20 batting plans don’t account for. Against DC’s death batting (David Miller — the match-winner vs RCB; Tristan Stubbs — another big-hitter), Malinga’s ability to bowl straight at the stumps from an unusual angle could produce 2-3 late wickets that restrict DC to 170 if they bat first.
Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad: SRH’s home fortress. The pitch is typically among the IPL’s highest-scoring — averages 185-200 in the first innings. Tall boundaries (but fast outfield) mean sixes go just as far but the gap between midwicket and long-on is accessible for big-hitters. Weather: 10-20% rain chance. Hyderabad’s pre-monsoon season brings some cloud cover from 8 PM onward. Dew becomes a factor from over 14 — chasing teams benefit. SRH will prefer to chase at their home ground if they win the toss. Head-to-head: SRH lead 13-12 (1 NR) across 26 all-time IPL meetings.
⚡ Match Prediction
Delhi Capitals Win — 55% | SRH Home Threat — 45%
DC’s superior bowling attack (Starc + Kuldeep + Ngidi) and their batting depth (KL Rahul 3rd on Orange Cap, Miller as match-winner, Stubbs as finisher) gives them a marginal edge over SRH’s more one-dimensional batting (explosive top order, fragile middle). SRH’s home advantage, the Hyderabad pitch favouring their powerplay batting style, and their 2-game winning momentum make this genuinely 50-50. The weather and toss could be decisive — dew aids chasing teams, making the toss critical. Win toss, bowl first = best strategy for both teams.
🌟 Dream11 Fantasy Picks — SRH vs DC
C
Abhishek Sharma (SRH) — 59 off 22 balls in last match. At his home ground Hyderabad where the pitch and short boundaries suit his left-hand aggressive style, his ceiling for a 25-ball 65+ is the match’s highest individual batting potential. Left-hand powerplay destroyer at home = captain.
VC
KL Rahul (DC, wk) — 57 off 38 in M26 vs RCB — a stunning counter-attacking innings after DC were 18/3. His wicketkeeper bonus + consistency (consistently scoring 40-60 across IPL seasons) + specific ability to rescue DC from bad starts makes him the most reliable DC batting pick.
DIFF
Eshan Malinga (SRH) — POTM in M27 with 3/29. His unique slinging action creates angles that standard T20 batting plans don’t account for. Against DC’s right-hand death batting (Miller, Stubbs), his unorthodox delivery from a low release point can generate wickets in the 16-20 over phase. Most users pick Mitchell Starc (DC) or Kuldeep (DC) as their bowling picks — Malinga at lower ownership is the highest-ceiling bowling differential.
📺 Broadcast & Streaming

📺 Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2, Star Sports HD (India, TV)

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🌐 Willow TV (USA) | Sky Sports (UK) | Fox Cricket (Australia)

🕒 Toss: 7:00 PM IST | Match: 7:30 PM IST at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad