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Most cricket fans know SRH dominates this fixture. But very few know just how brutal, one-sided, and occasionally shocking this rivalry has truly been.
As of April 2026, Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad have faced each other 26 times in the Indian Premier League, and the numbers tell a story that should make every PBKS supporter uncomfortable.
SRH leads the Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad head-to-head with 17 wins against Punjab’s 8.
That gap did not happen overnight. It was built match by match, season by season, through a combination of SRH’s clinical batting and Punjab’s frustrating inconsistency.
This article covers the complete Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad timeline from their very first meeting in 2013 to the high-scoring clash in April 2026, with every key match, record, turning point, and stat you need.
Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad Timeline
| Stat | Detail |
| Total Matches Played | 26 |
| SRH Wins | 17 |
| PBKS Wins | 8 |
| No Result | 1 |
| SRH’s Highest Score vs PBKS | 247 (April 12, 2025) |
| PBKS’s Highest Score vs SRH | 245 (April 12, 2025) |
| SRH’s Lowest Score vs PBKS | 114 |
| PBKS’s Lowest Score vs SRH | 119 |
| First Match | April 19, 2013 |
| Most Runs in Rivalry | David Warner, 1,134 runs (all opponents) |
| Highest Individual Score in Fixture | Abhishek Sharma, 141 off 55 balls (IPL 2025) |
| Most Wickets for SRH | Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 26 wickets |
Who Are These Teams? A Brief Background
Punjab Kings (PBKS)
Punjab Kings, originally known as Kings XI Punjab, have played in the IPL since its very first season in 2008.
They are one of the oldest franchises in the tournament. Despite that long history, they have never won an IPL title.
Their best season came in 2014 when they reached the final but lost to the Kolkata Knight Riders.
They changed their name to Punjab Kings before the 2021 season. As of April 2026, under the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer, they are among the most aggressive batting teams in the league.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
SRH replaced the defunct Deccan Chargers and joined the IPL in 2013. They are owned by Sun TV Network and are based in Hyderabad.
Under David Warner’s captaincy, they won their only IPL title in 2016. They reached the final again in 2018 and 2024.
Known as the Orange Army, SRH became one of the most feared batting sides in the league from 2024 onwards, regularly posting totals above 200.
Phase 1: Early Years (2013 to 2015): SRH Establishes Early Control
The First Match: April 19, 2013
The Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad timeline begins on April 19, 2013. This was the 25th match of IPL 2013, played in Hyderabad. SRH won by 5 wickets. It was a statement of intent from the new franchise right from game one.
SRH was a new team, replacing a struggling franchise. They had hungry players and a point to prove. Punjab, meanwhile, had experienced campaigners but could not close out the match. That result set the tone for a rivalry where SRH would consistently have the upper hand.
In IPL 2013, the two sides met twice. SRH won both encounters.
IPL 2014: Punjab’s Best Season, SRH Keeps Winning
IPL 2014 was Punjab’s finest overall campaign. They reached the final. Yet even in their best year, they could not consistently beat SRH. SRH won key matches in that season and continued to build momentum in this fixture.
David Warner was already making his mark during this phase, regularly scoring runs against Punjab’s bowling attack with the kind of ease that would eventually make him the all-time leading run scorer against any single opponent in IPL history.
IPL 2015: SRH’s Home Advantage Grows
By 2015, Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad was becoming a fortress. SRH continued winning at home against Punjab with growing confidence.
Their bowling attack, led by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, kept Punjab’s batters in check throughout this phase.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar went on to claim 26 wickets against the Punjab Kings across the rivalry, according to Sports Yaari, making him the most successful bowler in this specific head-to-head fixture.
Phase 2: The Championship Era (2016 to 2019) — SRH at Their Peak
IPL 2016: SRH Wins the Title, Dominates Punjab Too
This was SRH’s crowning year. Under David Warner, they won the IPL 2016 championship, defeating Royal Challengers Bangalore in the final. Warner scored 69 off 38 balls in that final. In their matches against Punjab that season, SRH continued to dominate.
Warner finished the 2016 season with 848 runs, the second highest in tournament history at that point. Punjab simply had no answer for his relentless run-scoring.
According to ESPN, Warner scored 1,105 runs against the Punjab Kings across 25 matches at an average of 50.22, with 13 half-centuries and a best score of 81. These are the most runs scored by any batter against a single opponent in IPL history, a record confirmed in May 2023 when Warner was playing for Delhi Capitals.
IPL 2017 and 2018: SRH Win Streak Continues
SRH’s dominance over Punjab deepened during this phase. They won matches convincingly at both home and away venues. Their bowling lineup, featuring Rashid Khan alongside Bhuvneshwar Kumar, gave them a quality that Punjab could rarely match.
Rashid Khan claimed 17 wickets against the Punjab Kings across his time in this rivalry, consistently picking up key dismissals at crucial moments. His accuracy and variations made him close to unplayable on his day.
In IPL 2018, SRH reached the final again before losing to Chennai Super Kings. Their confidence against Punjab during this period was at an all-time high.
IPL 2019: More of the Same
Punjab continued to struggle in this rivalry. SRH won matches with authority during the 2019 season. Except for brief moments of resistance, Punjab rarely put up consistent challenges across this entire phase.
Phase 3: The High-Scoring Years (2020 to 2023) — PBKS Wins a Few, SRH Controls the Rest
IPL 2020: Punjab’s Bright Spots
IPL 2020 was played in the UAE due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This season brought some respite for Punjab.
They managed to beat SRH in at least one encounter, with KL Rahul in exceptional form throughout the tournament.
KL Rahul’s 132 not out against RCB in 2020 was the highest individual score by an Indian in IPL history at that time.
While that inning was against a different opponent, it showcased the form Punjab’s batters were in that season.
The Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad timeline shows scattered Punjab wins during this period, but they remained the minority.
IPL 2021 and 2022: Momentum Shifts Slightly
IPL 2021 brought more drama. In IPL 2022, Punjab beat SRH by 5 wickets in one encounter, with Harpreet Brar taking 3 wickets for 26 runs and being named Player of the Match.
Punjab also registered a dominant 72-run win in the same season, which remains one of their most convincing victories in this rivalry.
These two wins in 2022 gave Punjab fans some hope. But they were still losing far more than they were winning against the Orange Army.
IPL 2023: SRH Reasserts Control
By 2023, SRH began rebuilding its squad under a new vision. Pat Cummins was brought in as captain. They started reshaping their batting philosophy around aggressive top-order play. Punjab continued to be a frequent victim as SRH flexed its new approach.
Phase 4: The Run-Fest Era (2024 to 2026) — Records Fall, SRH Keeps Winning
IPL 2024: SRH’s Streak Builds, Travis Head Arrives
IPL 2024 was a transformative season for SRH. They posted enormous totals regularly. Travis Head joined and became one of the most explosive openers in the tournament’s history. Abhishek Sharma grew into a genuine match-winner alongside him.
In their match against Punjab Kings in May 2024, SRH chased down 215 in 19.1 overs. Nitish Kumar Reddy played an unbeaten knock of 64 off 37 balls to seal the victory.
Punjab’s bowlers, including Arshdeep Singh, could not stop the SRH batting machine in that encounter.
SRH went on to reach the IPL 2024 final, where they eventually lost to the Kolkata Knight Riders. Their form against Punjab that season was another chapter in their long-running dominance.
IPL 2025: The Greatest Match in This Rivalry
April 12, 2025, produced the most extraordinary Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad match ever played. It is also, by most measures, one of the greatest T20 matches in IPL history.
Punjab Kings batted first and posted 245 for 6 in 20 overs. Shreyas Iyer top-scored with 82 off 47 balls. Marcus Stoinis hammered 34 off 21 balls at the death. It looked like a match-winning total.
SRH needed 246 to win. What followed was barely believable.
Abhishek Sharma walked in and dismantled Punjab’s bowling with a ferocity that left commentators scrambling for words. He smashed 141 off just 55 balls, the highest individual score by any Indian batter in IPL history.
He hit 10 sixes and reached his century in 40 balls, the sixth-fastest in IPL history. His strike rate was 256.36.
According to ESPN, Abhishek’s innings was the third-highest individual score in IPL history, behind only Chris Gayle’s 175 off 66 balls in 2013 and Brendon McCullum’s 158 off 73 balls in 2008.
Mohammed Shami conceded 75 runs in 4 overs for Punjab, the second most expensive spell in IPL history at that point.
SRH chased down the target with 9 balls to spare, recording the second-highest successful run chase in IPL history.
SRH won by 4 wickets. Both teams crossed 240 in the same match, a first in IPL history.
What the 2025 Match Means for the Rivalry
Why Abhishek Sharma’s 141 Is a Defining Moment
No innings in this rivalry capture SRH’s dominance over Punjab better than Abhishek’s 141. Punjab set what any team would consider a winning total.
SRH did not just chase it. They chased it with 9 balls to spare, powered by one batter who made it look easy.
Shreyas Iyer said after the match, per ESPN’s report in April 2025: “He was a bit lucky as well, even though he played an exceptional knock that was out of this world, to be honest.”
That quote sums up the state of this rivalry. Even in defeat, Punjab was left complimenting SRH’s brilliance.
The One Pattern Punjab Fans Never Want to Discuss
SRH’s Home Record Against PBKS
Here is the angle that no other article covers properly. At the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, SRH built an 8-game winning streak against the Punjab Kings at home.
According to Zee News, reported in April 2025, that streak matched CSK’s 8 consecutive home wins against RCB, one of the most celebrated home dominance records in IPL history.
Think about what that means. Punjab has not won a match in Hyderabad for nearly a decade in this rivalry. Traveling to play SRH at home was the equivalent of walking into a fortress with no map.
This is the record that defines the lopsidedness of the Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad rivalry more than any single match result.
IPL 2026: Punjab Kings Finally Break the Streak
April 11, 2026: PBKS Win by 6 Wickets
The most recent chapter of the Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad timeline came on April 11, 2026. Playing at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh, Punjab Kings chased down SRH’s total of 219 for 6 to win by 6 wickets with 7 balls remaining.
SRH posted 219, powered by Abhishek Sharma’s 74 off 28 balls and a 120-run opening stand between Abhishek and Travis Head (38). Heinrich Klaasen added 39 in the middle order.
Punjab chased it down brilliantly. Priyansh Arya scored 57 off 20 balls. Prabhsimran Singh hit 51 off 25 balls. Then, Shreyas Iyer walked in and made it look simple. He scored an unbeaten 69 off 33 balls, winning the Player of the Match award.
Shashank Singh was the turning point bowler. He dismissed both Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head in a single over, changing the match completely. He ended with 2 for 20 in 3 overs.
According to ESPN’s match report from April 11, 2026, this win ended SRH’s four-game winning streak against Punjab. Punjab extended their unbeaten start to IPL 2026 with this result.
What Changed for Punjab in 2026?
Punjab’s new leadership under Shreyas Iyer brought a calmer, more structured approach to big chases. Their opening pair of Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh gave them the same kind of fearless start that SRH enjoyed from their own openers.
Shreyas Iyer himself said after the match, per ESPN: “Pleasing to the eye, proper cricketing shots.” When you’re chasing 220, you need that start.”
This win may signal a new chapter in the Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad rivalry, one where Punjab can finally compete on equal terms.
Who Leads the PBKS vs SRH Head-to-Head?
Sunrisers Hyderabad leads the Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad head-to-head with 17 wins from 26 matches. Punjab Kings have won 8 times.
SRH has been the dominant team in this rivalry since their first meeting in April 2013, with an especially strong home record at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
What Is the Highest Score in PBKS vs SRH Matches?
SRH’s highest total against Punjab Kings is 247, scored on April 12, 2025, in Hyderabad. Punjab Kings’ highest total against SRH is 245, scored in the same match.
Both totals came in a single game, making it the highest-scoring encounter in this rivalry and one of the most remarkable T20 matches ever played.
Key Individual Records in This Rivalry
Batting Records
David Warner holds the record for most runs against a single opponent in IPL history. He scored 1,134 runs against the Punjab Kings across all teams he played for, at an average of 50.22 with 13 half-centuries and a best of 81. Punjab bowlers simply had no consistent answer for him.
Abhishek Sharma owns the highest individual score in this fixture with 141 off 55 balls in April 2025. It is also the highest score by an Indian batter in IPL history.
KL Rahul, during his time with Punjab, scored big runs in this fixture consistently and was one of the few Punjab batters who matched the SRH bowlers with confidence.
Bowling Records
Bhuvneshwar Kumar leads all bowlers in this rivalry with 26 wickets against the Punjab Kings. His swing bowling and death-over accuracy made him a persistent nightmare for Punjab’s batters.
Rashid Khan took 17 wickets in this fixture during his time with SRH. His leg-spin proved especially difficult on Hyderabad pitches.
Arshdeep Singh has been Punjab’s most effective bowler in this rivalry, picking up wickets in difficult conditions and conceding at a controlled rate compared to his teammates.
Conclusion
The Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad timeline is a story with one clear winner and one team still searching for answers. SRH leads 17 to 8, and that gap was built through David Warner’s relentless run-scoring, Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s wicket-taking, Rashid Khan’s spin brilliance, and one jaw-dropping Abhishek Sharma innings that rewrote Indian IPL batting history.
Punjab’s April 2026 win offers genuine hope that the gap is finally closing. But one win does not reverse a decade of dominance. To truly call this a rivalry, Punjab needs to string results together. SRH, as history shows, will not make it easy.
For a full background on the Indian Premier League itself, you can visit the Indian Premier League Wikipedia page.
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FAQs
How many times have the Punjab Kings and the Sunrisers Hyderabad played each other in the IPL?
As of April 2026, PBKS and SRH have played 26 matches in the IPL. SRH has won 17, and PBKS has won 8, with 1 no result.
Who has won more matches between PBKS and SRH?
Sunrisers Hyderabad have won significantly more matches, 17 wins compared to Punjab’s 8. SRH has dominated this rivalry since it began in 2013.
What is the highest team total in PBKS vs SRH matches?
SRH’s 247 for 2, scored on April 12, 2025, in Hyderabad, is the highest team total in this fixture. Punjab Kings posted 245 for 6 in the same match, making it the most high-scoring game in the rivalry’s history.
Who scored the most runs in PBKS vs SRH matches?
David Warner holds the record for most runs against the Punjab Kings across all teams combined. He scored 1,134 runs against PBKS at an average of 50.22, the most by any batter against a single opponent in IPL history. For SRH specifically, Abhishek Sharma’s 141 in 2025 is the highest individual score in this fixture.
When did PBKS and SRH first play each other?
Their first match was on April 19, 2013, in Hyderabad. SRH won by 5 wickets. That was Match 25 of IPL 2013 and the first-ever meeting between the two franchises.
Have the Punjab Kings ever won at SRH’s home ground?
SRH built an 8-game home win streak against Punjab at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. This is one of the longest home dominance streaks against a specific opponent in IPL history, equaling CSK’s 8 consecutive home wins against RCB.
What happened in the April 2026 PBKS vs SRH match?
On April 11, 2026, the Punjab Kings beat the SRH by 6 wickets in New Chandigarh. Punjab chased down SRH’s 219 for 6, with Priyansh Arya (57 off 20), Prabhsimran Singh (51 off 25), and captain Shreyas Iyer (69 not out off 33) leading the chase. Shashank Singh was the bowling hero with 2 for 20.
Who is SRH’s most successful bowler against the Punjab Kings?
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has taken 26 wickets against the Punjab Kings, the most by any bowler in this rivalry. He has consistently made life difficult for Punjab’s batters throughout the entire history of this head-to-head.
Did SRH ever win the IPL?
Yes. Sunrisers Hyderabad won the IPL title in 2016 under David Warner’s captaincy, defeating Royal Challengers Bangalore in the final. They also reached the final in 2018 and 2024 but did not win on those occasions.
Which Punjab Kings captain has performed best in this rivalry?
Shreyas Iyer, who took charge of IPL 2025 and IPL 2026, has brought the best results for Punjab in recent years. His unbeaten 69 off 33 balls in the April 2026 match ended SRH’s four-game winning streak against Punjab.