Explore the complete Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Punjab Kings timeline from 2013 to 2026. Head-to-head records, iconic moments, top performers, and what’s next.
Have You Ever Watched a Match Where One Team Keeps Breaking Your Heart Season After Season?
That’s exactly what Punjab Kings fans have been living through since 2013.
The Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Punjab Kings timeline is one of the most lopsided, yet wildly entertaining rivalries in IPL history. It has produced centuries, collapse-fests, last-over thrillers, and a 2025 knock that rewrote the record books completely.
If you’re a cricket fan who wants to understand every twist, turn, and defining moment of this rivalry — you’re in the right place.
The Big Picture: Head-to-Head Record (2013–2026)
Let’s start with the hard truth.
SRH lead PBKS 17–7 across 24 IPL matches as of the 2026 season. That’s not a rivalry — that’s domination with occasional flickers of hope.
Sunrisers have won over 70% of their encounters, and their home record at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad is borderline ruthless. PBKS have managed just one win there in over a decade.
But here’s the thing — the scoreline doesn’t tell the full story. Many of these matches have gone to the wire. Five matches in this rivalry were decided in the final over. And in 2025, the two teams played what many are calling the greatest batting duel in IPL history.
So let’s go year by year. Buckle up.
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Sunrisers Hyderabad entered the IPL in 2013, replacing the defunct Deccan Chargers. It was a fresh start for Hyderabad cricket.
Their very first meeting against Punjab came with a calm confidence. SRH won one, Punjab won one — a 1–1 split for the season. Nothing explosive, but the rivalry had begun.
At the time, Punjab played as Kings XI Punjab and were still finding their modern identity. SRH, led by Cameron White, were still feeling out the tournament. Dale Steyn’s bowling was already a handful, while Adam Gilchrist’s experience kept Punjab steady when needed.
2014–2016: Punjab Flash, Then SRH Find Their Voice
2014 — The Maxwell Show
Punjab were untouchable in 2014. Glenn Maxwell was in the form of his life, playing some T20 cricket that felt genuinely unfair to opposition teams.
They beat SRH in both their league encounters that season. Maxwell’s 95-ball blitz in one fixture reminded everyone that T20 cricket could be something else entirely when the right batter clicks.
PBKS’s best season in this rivalry — they won both fixtures.
2015–2016 — Warner and the Rise of the Orange Army
Things shifted quickly. David Warner took over as SRH captain, and Hyderabad transformed into one of the most consistent IPL sides.
In 2016, SRH won the IPL title — their only championship to date. Punjab couldn’t handle the combination of Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s swing and Mustafizur Rahman’s cutters.
SRH won both their encounters with Punjab in 2016. The foundation of their dominance in this rivalry was being firmly laid.
2017–2019: Rashid Khan Changes Everything
This three-year stretch was SRH’s most dominant period against Punjab Kings.
2017 saw SRH win both matches convincingly. Warner and Shikhar Dhawan at the top were a nightmare to bowl to, while a young Rashid Khan had arrived as a match-winning spinner. He was the bowler Punjab could never read.
2018 brought a rare PBKS moment of glory — Chris Gayle smashed an unbeaten 104 off 63 balls at Mohali. It remains the highest individual score for Punjab Kings in this rivalry. That night, Mohali erupted. Gayle was simply playing a different sport.
But SRH still won the other fixture. Rashid’s 3/19 that season was one of the best bowling performances in this head-to-head history.
2019 went back to SRH again. Warner, Jonny Bairstow, and Rashid firing together was simply too much for Punjab. The head-to-head gap widened to 10–5 in SRH’s favour.
Try this: Look up Rashid Khan’s economy rate against Punjab in this period. It’ll make you genuinely wonder how batters didn’t just refuse to face him.
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2020–2021: Desert Cricket and a Famous Punjab Comeback
The 2020 season moved to the UAE due to the pandemic. Different pitches, slower surfaces, and lower scores — but the drama stayed exactly the same.
SRH defended 126 in one fixture and won. In the next game, Punjab chased down a target of just 127, with Mohammed Shami’s 3/21 proving clinical. The UAE conditions made for bizarre cricket — but PBKS got one back.
2021 was forgettable for both sides. SRH endured a historically poor season, finishing last. Punjab changed their name to Punjab Kings and were equally inconsistent.
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2022–2023: Rebuilds, New Faces, Fresh Energy
2022 — Livingstone Lights Up Mohali
Punjab arrived in 2022 with Shikhar Dhawan leading and Liam Livingstone swinging freely. In their only meeting that year, PBKS thrashed SRH. Livingstone’s 49-ball 70 and Nathan Ellis’ disciplined bowling made it a comfortable win.
SRH were in the middle of a painful squad overhaul. Their dependence on a few players had been ruthlessly exposed.
2023 — Harry Brook Announces Himself
In 2023, SRH invested in Harry Brook — and the young Yorkshireman paid them back immediately. He slammed a sensational century against Punjab in one of the most impressive overseas performances of that season.
It was a reminder that even in their rebuilding phase, SRH had the ability to produce match-winning performances out of nowhere.
2024: Two Matches, Two Swings — SRH Win Both
The 2024 season saw SRH return to peak form. They posted some of the highest scores in IPL history that year, including a stunning 287/3 against RCB (the second-highest T20 total ever at that point).
Against Punjab in the first fixture, Arshdeep Singh and Sam Curran defended 142 heroically on a slow Mohali pitch. SRH won by just 2 runs — one of the most gut-wrenching defeats in Punjab’s recent history.
In the reverse fixture, Heinrich Klaasen’s powerful fifty and disciplined death bowling from SRH sealed both matches for the season.
SRH won both 2024 encounters, extending their overall lead to 16–7.
2025: The Match That Broke the Record Books
April 12, 2025. Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad.
Punjab Kings posted 245/6 — an extraordinary total by any standard.
Most teams would consider that a match-winning score. SRH treated it like a suggestion.
Abhishek Sharma walked out and played an innings that people will talk about for decades. He smashed 141 off just 55 balls — the highest score ever by an Indian batter in IPL history. SRH chased down 247 with 8 wickets in hand and 9 balls to spare.
That chase of 247 is the second-highest successful run chase in IPL history.
It was cricket from another dimension. Even Punjab fans admitted, reluctantly, that they had witnessed something special.
SRH won by 8 wickets. The head-to-head moved to 17–7.
2026: The Story Continues — Match 17 on the Horizon
IPL 2026 kicked off in late March, and SRH’s season started with a defeat to RCB on March 28. Punjab, meanwhile, opened with a narrow win over Gujarat Titans on March 31.
PBKS vs SRH Match 17 is scheduled for April 11, 2026, at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh. It’s a day-night fixture, and both teams will be looking to stabilize their campaigns.
SRH brought in Liam Livingstone during the 2026 auction — interesting, given Livingstone’s past heroics in this very fixture for PBKS back in 2022. He’s now wearing orange.
Punjab, led by Shreyas Iyer, have Prabhsimran Singh in brilliant touch. Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma remain SRH’s most dangerous weapons with the bat.
The Players Who Defined This Rivalry
For SRH:
- David Warner — Over 700 runs against Punjab in this fixture. The man just owned them.
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar — 26 wickets in this rivalry, the most by any bowler. A record that still stands as of 2026.
- Rashid Khan — 18 wickets with an economy that made Punjab’s batters look slow in their own heads.
- Abhishek Sharma — One innings. One record. Forever.
For PBKS:
- Chris Gayle — 104* off 63 balls in 2018. Their greatest moment in this rivalry.
- Glenn Maxwell — 2014 was his season, and his performances against SRH reflected that.
- Ankit Rajpoot — His 5/14 in 2018 remains the best bowling spell in this entire rivalry’s history.
- KL Rahul — Several crucial fifties during his Punjab captaincy years.
Venue Breakdown: Where the Matches Are Won and Lost
| Venue | Matches | SRH Wins | PBKS Wins |
| Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Hyderabad | 10 | 9 | 1 |
| Mohali / New Chandigarh (Punjab home) | 7 | 4 | 3 |
| Neutral Venues (UAE, etc.) | 7 | 4 | 3 |
Hyderabad is SRH’s fortress. The dew factor in evening matches consistently benefits the chasing team — and SRH use that ruthlessly.
FAQs: SRH vs PBKS Timeline
Q: Who leads the SRH vs PBKS head-to-head record?
Sunrisers Hyderabad lead 17–7 across 24 IPL matches as of 2026.
Q: What is the highest individual score in SRH vs PBKS matches?
Abhishek Sharma’s 141 off 55 balls in IPL 2025 is the highest, and also the highest score by any Indian batter in IPL history.
Q: Has Punjab Kings ever won at Hyderabad against SRH?
Yes — exactly once, in 2014. PBKS successfully chased 211/4 at Hyderabad in that season.
Q: Who has taken the most wickets in SRH vs PBKS matches?
Bhuvneshwar Kumar leads with 26 wickets, followed by Rashid Khan and Sandeep Sharma with 18 each.
Q: What is the best bowling figure in this rivalry?
Ankit Rajpoot’s 5/14 for PBKS against SRH in 2018 is the best bowling performance in this fixture.
Q: When is the SRH vs PBKS IPL 2026 match?
Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad is scheduled for April 11, 2026, at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh.
What Makes This Rivalry Worth Watching in 2026
Forget the lopsided head-to-head for a second.
This rivalry consistently delivers entertainment. Five matches decided in the final over. Two teams that, in their best seasons, can post 200+ with ease. A venue like Hyderabad that turns into a cauldron when the home side is chasing.
SRH in 2026 look like a side with real firepower — Travis Head’s aggressive batting, Abhishek Sharma’s growing authority, and Klaasen’s ability to finish. Punjab have Shreyas Iyer’s tactical calm and the firepower of Prabhsimran Singh at the top.
The gap on paper is real. But cricket, blessedly, is not played on paper.
Conclusion: A Rivalry That Keeps on Giving
The Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Punjab Kings timeline is a story of dominance, occasional upset, and one of the most breathtaking batting performances IPL has ever seen.
SRH’s 17–7 advantage tells you who has controlled this fixture. But the 2018 Gayle century, the 2020 UAE thriller, the 2024 two-run heartbreak, and Abhishek’s 2025 masterclass tell you why no Punjab fan ever stops watching.
This rivalry won’t crown itself a classic based on scorelines alone. It earns that badge through the sheer unpredictability it has delivered, season after season.
Follow this match-up closely in IPL 2026. History suggests SRH will win. History also said Punjab couldn’t chase 247 in 2025 — until they nearly did.
