Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will be playing against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on April 12. Both the teams will be looking forward to register a win. Pat Cummins and co. are seeking momentum as they have only won one match out of the five played despite having a lethal batting lineup. Punjab Kings on the other hand has a great winning momentum and won three out of the four matches played.
SRH Vs PBKS: Pitch Report
The pitch has experienced a tangible change in character. What used to be a high-scoring ground, the surface now tends to favor bowlers more than it did earlier editions. SRH head coach Daniel Vettori himself has commented on the unusual nature of the pitch this season. Batters have found it difficult to settle, and bowlers particularly seamers have been able to draw help from the surface. In view of the dew on hand during night matches, bowling first would be a sensible choice for the captain who wins the toss. A battling first-innings score on this surface would be anything over 180.
SRH Vs PBKS: Toss Strategy
With dew expected to set in during the second half of the game at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, winning the toss and electing to bowl first is still the best option. The pitch has also been providing help to bowlers early on, hence it is slightly challenging for batsmen in the first innings. But conditions do become easier under lights, hence run-chases are relatively more relaxed.
Teams chasing have fared better at this ground in recent times, owing to better visibility, uniform bounce, and the dew factor. With all this in mind, the winning captain should seriously think about bowling first to take advantage of the shifting conditions.
