IPL 2018: Match 25, Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kings XI Punjab - Toss Report

Kings XI Punjab won the toss and decided to field first against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the twenty-fifth match of the Indian Premier League at Rajiv GandhInternational Stadium, Hyderabad.

Here is what the captains said:

Ravichandran Ashwin:

“We are bowling first. The wicket seems to be pretty good. We have been winning games, these are quality players we are talking about. They are very important and will come good at the back-end of the tournament. Two changes for us. Gayle is back and Yuvraj misses out, Manoj Tiwary gets a game.”

Kane Williamson:

“Looks like a good batting surface, we will have to put up a good score on the board. The surfaces have been different this season, a lot more challenging. Chris is a very dangerous player, very good to watch if you are not the opposition. No changes for the playing XI.”

Preview: 

High flying Kings XI Punjab face a litmus test in the form of Sunrisers Hyderabad. Barring the defeat against Royal Challengers Bangalore, the Kings XI have looked almost unstoppable at the moment. In their previous game, they were restricted to a modest 143 for 8 by Delhi Daredevils. However, they went on to defend the total by 4 runs to register their fifth win in six games.

On the other hand, Sunrisers ended their two-match losing streak with a stunning 31 runs win over defending champions Mumbai Indians. On the Wankhede pitch which is famous for high scoring games, the Sunrisers could score only 118. However, it turned out to be more than enough in the end as they bowled out Mumbai for a paltry 87. What is even more commendable that they did it without their pace spearhead Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

The last time the two teams met earlier this season, Kings XI Punjab comfortably won the contest courtesy of Chris Gayle’s whirlwind century. With both the teams high on confidence at the moment, one can expect a tight contest this time around.

Playing Elevens: