HIGHLIGHTS Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Delhi Capitals IPL 2026 Match 31 - Result, Scorecard

Welcome back for DC's batting reply. The two umpires and players have made their way out to the centre. SRH bring in the Sri Lankan left-arm quick, Dilshan Madushanka, as their Impact Sub. Travis Head has been subbed out. Madushanka coming in means Praful Hinge will not feature tonight. Pathum Nissanka and KL Rahul will open the innings for DC. It will be an all-Sri Lankan battle first up. Nissanka vs Madushanka. Here we go!

... THE RUN CHASE ...

Looking ahead - It will take some doing for the Delhi Capitals, who are yet to successfully chase a 200-plus target this season, having fallen short on the previous two occasions. A lot will depend on how they start, as that will go a long way on this steep chase. Stay tuned for the second essay.

Klaasen applied the finishing touches - Abhishek brought up his second IPL hundred off 47 balls and, interestingly, as per on-air commentators, it came on the same strip here in Hyderabad. As the innings went on, a bit of fatigue seemed to set in, and the big hits dried up, but Heinrich Klaasen stepped up to ensure SRH finished on a high.  As he often does, Axar Patel rotated his bowling options but with little success. Curiously, he persisted with the match-up of continuing with Nitish Rana against two left-handers, even after he had been taken for runs.

A strong start carried through - Early on, the SRH openers did not swing at everything and instead picked their battles with a calculated approach, with Abhishek Sharma being the dominant partner in the 97-run opening stand. In the previous game, they could not capitalise on a similar start and lost their way in the middle phase, but that was not the case tonight. Abhishek batted through and found support along the way. He also rode a bit of luck, with KL missing a run-out chance when he tried to sneak in a second after reaching his fifty, and then being dropped on 86 by Nitish Rana.

SRH's man of the moment - Abhishek Sharma puts on the Orange Cap, not the Sunrisers one but the one for the leading run-getter. He says that it is always special to perform in front of the Orange Army and he loves playing at this ground. Reckons that the bowlers well at the death and he hasn't practised much death hitting but kudos to Heinrich Klaasen for the way he played and mentions that his (Sharma's) mindset at the death was that if a boundary isn't coming, he at least gets a single and gives the strike to Klaasen. Adds that the coaching staff wanted him to bat for the full 20 overs, and reckons that this is probably the first time he's done it. On the par score, Sharma jokes that that's what they are trying to figure out but feels that anything over 220-230 is always a solid total on the board.

Tuesday treat for the Orange Army - If it was Tilak Varma last night, it was Abhishek Sharma who set the stage alight. With cameos from Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen to boot, the home side has finished with a daunting 242. Having opted to bowl first, the Delhi Capitals are right up against it and have a massive task ahead.

Mukesh Kumar to Heinrich Klaasen, FOUR! A boundary to close the SRH innings. 20 came off the final over and SRH have posted 242 on the board. On a length, wide outside the off-stump, Heinrich Klaasen reaches it and just puts bat on ball. The connection is so pure that the ball almost goes over the fence, but lands just inside and bounces over for four towards the deep third region.

Mukesh Kumar to Abhishek Sharma, Full and on off, Abhishek Sharma rolls this to sweeper cover for one run.

Mukesh Kumar to Abhishek Sharma, FOUR! Sharma finds the fence again and after a while. Wide yorker, around off, Abhishek Sharma steps down and just slices this through the left of short third for a boundary.

Mukesh Kumar to Heinrich Klaasen, Mukesh goes around the stumps and bowls a yorker, around the pads. Heinrich Klaasen looks for the ramp but ends up toe-poking this to square leg.

Mukesh Kumar to Heinrich Klaasen, SIX! Even better this time. Right in the slot from Mukesh and Heinrich Klaasen smashes this just over the fence towards the long off region for a biggie. Long off was brought inside the circle right before this delivery.

Mukesh Kumar to Heinrich Klaasen, FOUR! Exactly the start SRH wanted for the final over. On a length, around off, Heinrich Klaasen stays leg side of the ball and lofts this over extra cover for a boundary.

Outstanding stuff from T Natarajan. Just 6 runs from the 19th over, an over worth its weight in gold for DC. Mukesh Kumar to bowl the final over. He has gone for 33 runs in his 3 overs so far.

T Natarajan to Heinrich Klaasen, Nails the yorker to close the over and Heinrich Klaasen could only tuck this down the ground to long on for a single. Excellent from T Natarajan.

T Natarajan to Abhishek Sharma, Full and around the pads yet again, Abhishek Sharma flicks this towards long on and takes just one run. This is superb execution from T Natarajan.

T Natarajan to Abhishek Sharma, This is superb from T Natarajan. Yorker, around the pads, following the batter towards the leg side. Abhishek Sharma ends up scuffing this back to the bowler.

A change of bat for Abhishek Sharma.

T Natarajan to Heinrich Klaasen, Another slower one, short and around off. Heinrich Klaasen pats this to sweeper cover for a run.

T Natarajan to Abhishek Sharma, On a length, around the pads of the batter, cramping Sharma for any sort of room to free his arms. Abhishek drills this down to long off for a strike rotation.

T Natarajan to Abhishek Sharma, WIDE! Full and down the leg side, Abhishek Sharma goes for a flick but misses. Wided.

T Natarajan to Heinrich Klaasen, T Natarajan hits the deck hard and bowls this short and wide of off. Heinrich Klaasen punches this towards sweeper cover for a run.

T Natarajan (3-0-34-0) has been given the task of bowling the 19th over. So, barring any surprises, it will be Mukesh Kumar to close out the innings.

Lungi Ngidi to Heinrich Klaasen, Pace on this time, yorker, following the batter to his leg. Heinrich Klaasen pushes this down to long off for a single. 14 runs off the over.

Lungi Ngidi to Heinrich Klaasen, SIX! The floodgates might have opened again. Slower one, full and around off, Heinrich Klaasen stays deep inside the crease and gets right underneath it as he plays the lofted drive. Hits this all the way into the stands for a biggie towards the deep extra cover region.

Lungi Ngidi to Heinrich Klaasen, SIX! Ngidi was bound to miss one and Heinrich Klaasen makes him pay. Attempted slower yorker, goes wrong and ends in a gentle full toss for Klaasen. Heinrich gets up on his toes and lofts this over the deep extra cover fence for a biggie.

Lungi Ngidi to Abhishek Sharma, Full and on off, Abhishek Sharma drives this to sweeper cover for just a run.

Lungi Ngidi to Abhishek Sharma, Wide yorker, this time, pace on from Ngidi. Sharma stays deep inside the crease and opens his bat face, looking to guide this past the short third fielder, but misses. Rahul collects this behind the stumps and appeals for caught behind but the umpire turns it down. Axar sends this upstairs. Nothing on the UltraEdge as the ball passes the bat and it is actually the bat hitting the turf.

The Delhi Capitals take the review for caught behind. Lungi Ngidi and KL Rahul do not look entirely convinced, though, but DC want to have a look. Flat line on UltraEdge, and the spike comes up when the bat hits the ground. NOT OUT!

Lungi Ngidi to Abhishek Sharma, Really well bowled by Lungi Ngidi. Slower one, full and wide outside off. Abhishek Sharma shuffles across and looks to hit across the line but gets beaten.

Lungi Ngidi to bowl out now. 3-0-27-0 so far for the Proteas seamer.

T Natarajan to Heinrich Klaasen, FOUR! This was on the cards with T Natarajan persisting with yorkers. Yorker, around off, Heinrich Klaasen brings out the reverse ramp and hits this well over the fielder at short third for a boundary to close the over.

T Natarajan to Abhishek Sharma, The left-arm pacer is giving nothing away. Yet another yorker, into the batter, around his pads. Abhishek Sharma moves back and chips this to sweeper cover for a single.

T Natarajan to Heinrich Klaasen, T Natarajan sticks to his plan and bowls another yorker, on off this time. Heinrich Klaasen tucks this to long on for a strike rotation.

T Natarajan to Abhishek Sharma, Another slower yoker, around the pads. Abhishek Sharma flicks this gently towards the deep mid-wicket region for a run.

T Natarajan to Abhishek Sharma, Full and into the batter, around middle and leg. Abhishek Sharma backs away and chips this over extra cover for a couple.

T Natarajan to Abhishek Sharma, FOUR! Another clever stroke from Abhishek Sharma to get a boundary to start the 17th over. Slower one, short-pitched delivery, around off, Abhishek Sharma shimmies down the ground and carves this over the backward point fielder for four runs.

Lungi Ngidi to Abhishek Sharma, David Miller with a herculean effort in the deep. Slower one, full and wide outside off. Abhishek Sharma skips down the pitch, converts it into a full toss and lifts it high towards the long off fence. Miller runs to his left and knows that the ball is sailing past him, but he just reaches out and palms the ball into play with his left hand before falling over the ropes. Tristan Stubbs mops it up and it will only be a single.

Top work by David Miller. The third umpire is summoned for a check. It is confirmed as a clean effort.

Lungi Ngidi to Heinrich Klaasen, A yorker now, pace on and on off and middle, Heinrich Klaasen stays back and plays a whippy drive through mid on for another single. Five runs off the over, can Ngidi end well?

Lungi Ngidi to Abhishek Sharma, Pitched full and wide outside off, Ngidi keeps it out of the swinging arc and Sharma drives it to deep cover for one.

Lungi Ngidi to Abhishek Sharma, Excellent bowling once again. Full and slow, just outside off, Sharma tries to come down the pitch and go at it but the ball dips on him and sneaks under the willow.

Lungi Ngidi to Abhishek Sharma, Ngidi gets it right this time. Another slower one, full and wide outside off. This time, Abhishek Sharma swings at it and misses, and it is deemed a fair delivery. However, Sharma has reviewed it. The third umpire has a look and replays indicate that some part of the ball is inside the new guideline, and Sharma has now burnt two reviews for wide calls.

Lungi Ngidi to Abhishek Sharma, WIDE! A cutter from Ngidi, pitched wide outside off and angles further away. Sharma lets it go and gets the wide call in his favour.

Lungi Ngidi to Abhishek Sharma, Will not carry but there's another fumble in the deep. Length ball, angled across off, Sharma shimmies down the pitch and slices it over the cover region. Sameer Rizvi comes in from the deep to mop it up but misfields and the batters pinch the second run as well.

STRATEGIC BREAK! Phew, we all need a breather, don't we? We have witnessed ball-striking of the highest order, and the Delhi Capitals need a moment to regroup. It is all looking ominous for DC, and they are in danger of being batted out of the game. They are one of the better death-bowling outfits in this competition, as they showed in the last game against RCB, and they will have to deliver again here. Axar Patel turns to Lungi Ngidi (2-0-21-0) after the break.

Nitish Rana to Abhishek Sharma, Flatter one on the pads, shovelled down to deep mid-wicket for one. Sharma looks for the second run but won't get it. 23 runs and a wicket off the over.

Nitish Rana to Abhishek Sharma, SIX! Abhishek Sharma is completely unfazed and continues on his merry way. Tossed up at the stumps, Sharma makes room and tees off as he sends the ball sailing beyond the long off fence for the 10th six of his innings.

The 79-run stand has been broken in an unusual fashion. Heinrich Klaasen is in next.

Nitish Rana to Abhishek Sharma, OUT! ISHAN KISHAN IS RUN OUT! Too much is happening out there at the moment. Flighted ball, full and angled into the leg pole. Abhishek Sharma stays leg side of the ball, reaches for it and drives it straight back. Nitish Rana goes low to his left on the follow-through to make a stop, but the ball deflects off his fingers onto the stumps at the non-striker's end, and Ishan Kishan is backing up out of his crease. A very unfortunate way to go, but DC now have a breakthrough.

Gone? Nitish Rana is celebrating, and Ishan Kishan has started to walk. Yes, the background check confirms Ishan's departure.

Nitish Rana to Abhishek Sharma, MISFIELD AND FOUR! Oh, even that's gone to the fence, poor fielding in the deep from Tristan Stubbs. Full and straight, Sharma lunges ahead and jabs it straight down the ground. Tristan Stubbs at long off moves to his left, collects the ball in a jiffy, but tries to release it too quickly and ends up fumbling it onto the ropes.

Nitish Rana to Abhishek Sharma, SIX! What a way to bring up the HUNDRED from Abhishek Sharma. His second one in the IPL and the Orange Army goes wild as Sharma brings out his signature celebration as well. Short ball on leg stump, whipped away without a fuss and over deep square leg for another biggie.

Nitish Rana to Abhishek Sharma, SIX! Bludgeoned away. Fired in at the stumps, slightly full as well. Abhishek Sharma clears the front leg and smashes it back over the bowler's head for a six.

Nitish Rana returns to the attack. 3-0-32-0 so far for Rana.

T Natarajan to Abhishek Sharma, Very full, around off, angling in, Sharma looks to go through the off side again, but toe ends it back past the bowler for a single.

T Natarajan to Abhishek Sharma, FOUR! Crashed through the off side. Full and wide outside off, not wide enough as Abhishek is able to reach it and hammers it over covers for a boundary. Sharma is now into the 90s.

T Natarajan to Abhishek Sharma, WIDE! Full-length delivery, well wide of the off stump. This time, Sharma stays put and leaves it alone.

T Natarajan to Ishan Kishan, Full and outside off, eased down to long off for a single.

T Natarajan to Abhishek Sharma, DROPPED! Can you believe it? The Capitals have been brilliant in the outfield so far but Nitish Rana has put down Abhishek Sharma on 86. A low full toss, wide outside off, Sharma reaches for it and slices it away aerially towards the left of deep backward point. Rana covers the ground well, but the ball is dipping on him, and as he takes a tumble, the ball pops out of his hands. A single is taken.

T Natarajan to Abhishek Sharma, Given as a fair delivery, but Abhishek Sharma feels it is too wide and takes the review. Sharma is early to move across to the off side, and T Natarajan uses this to his advantage by bowling a full ball, well wide outside off, even beyond the tramline and the batter leaves it alone. The question now is whether the ball is inside the new guideline or not, and replays confirm that it is.

T Natarajan to Ishan Kishan, A bit slower and into the pitch, around off, Kishan drags the pull aerially and over the mid-wicket region for a single.

Mukesh Kumar to Abhishek Sharma, SIX! Oh, that's not the way Mukesh wanted the over to end. A knee-high full toss on middle stump, Abhishek Sharma picks it up and clobbers it high over wide long on for a biggie. 13 off the over and the 150 is up for SRH as well.

Mukesh Kumar to Ishan Kishan, Seam-up delivery, on a fullish length and on middle. Kishan shows the full face of the bat and hits it through mid off for another single.

Mukesh Kumar to Abhishek Sharma, Full and at the batter, Sharma gets a bit forward and plays it down to long on for a single.

Mukesh Kumar to Abhishek Sharma, FOUR! That's well anticipated by Abhishek Sharma. Dug in well short and over middle, Sharma backs away and carves it down to the vacant deep third fence for a boundary.

Mukesh Kumar to Abhishek Sharma, WIDE! That's too short. Slower bumper, wide outside off, and Sharma cannot reach it with his outstretched bat.

Mukesh Kumar to Abhishek Sharma, Mukesh looks to target the toes again but gets the ball swinging down the leg side. It is given a wide but the keeper, KL Rahul, feels it shouldn't be a wide. DC do review it. Seems close to the pads and UltraEdge shows that the ball did brush the pads. Well spotted by Rahul and it is going to be a fair delivery.

Mukesh Kumar to Abhishek Sharma, A good yorker to begin with. Mukesh lands this at the toes but Sharma stays leg side of the ball and gets the front leg out of the way, digging the ball out to extra cover.

Another bowling change? Yes. Mukesh Kumar comes back on to replace Kuldeep Yadav.

T Natarajan to Ishan Kishan, Excellent cricket all around. On a length, around the pads, Ishan Kishan leans onto it and flicks this by rolling his wrists, towards the gap between long on and deep mid-wicket. Pathum Nissanka covers good ground to his right and puts in a dive to keep it down to two.

T Natarajan to Abhishek Sharma, Good length, around off, Abhishek Sharma cuts this to sweeper cover and takes a run.

T Natarajan to Ishan Kishan, Back of a length, around off, Ishan Kishan stays deep inside the crease and flat bats this to the right of Sameer Rizvi at long off for another strike rotation.

T Natarajan to Abhishek Sharma, Pitched up, around off, Abhishek Sharma steps across the stumps and gently drives this to long off for a single.

T Natarajan to Abhishek Sharma, WIDE! A little too short this time from Natarajan and Abhishek Sharma steps down and across and leaves it. Wide called by the umpire.

T Natarajan to Abhishek Sharma, A good comeback from the left-arm pacer as T Natarajan bowls a wide yorker around off. Abhishek Sharma leaves it expecting a wide but the umpire calls it a fair one.

T Natarajan to Abhishek Sharma, SIX! Sharma greets T Natarajan into the attack with a huge six. On a length, around the pads, Abhishek Sharma picks it up with a flick and deposits this into the stands towards the deep square leg region for a massive six.

No sign of T Natarajan yet, but we might see him soon. And, right on cue, Natarajan comes into the attack, replacing Nitish Rana.

Kuldeep Yadav to Ishan Kishan, FOUR! Kuldeep has been taken to the cleaners in this over. Kuldeep continues from around the stumps and bowls it full and onto the pads of Kishan. The SRH skipper muscles this past the left of Kuldeep and the ball races into the fence towards long on for four more runs.

Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, Quicker one, on midlde and leg, Abhishek Sharma rolls this down to long on for a strike rotation.

Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, SIX! He makes it look so easy. Flighted by Kuldeep, around off. Abhishek Sharma dances down and away this time and lofts this inside out over the cover region for a huge six.

Kuldeep Yadav to Ishan Kishan, Kuldeep comes around the stumps and bowls it full and on leg, Kishan sweeps this to deep backward square leg for one.

Kuldeep Yadav to Ishan Kishan, FOUR! Showing a wide array of stroke-play is Ishan Kishan. Tossed up, around middle and leg, Ishan Kishan goes down on a knee and sweeps this behind square to the left of deep square leg for a boundary.

Kuldeep Yadav to Ishan Kishan, SIX! Kishan hits his first biggie of the contest. Fuller, around the pads, Ishan Kishan shimmies down and just flicks this over the fence towards the deep mid-wicket region for a biggie.

We have reached the halfway mark in the first innings. SRH are going strong at 104/1 and Abhishek Sharma just brought up 2000 runs in SRH colours in the last over. Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav is back into the attack, but from the other end.

Nitish Rana to Abhishek Sharma, Tossed up, wide outside off, Abhishek Sharma shuffles across the stumps and cuts this towards backward point. Had Sharma left it, this would have been another wide.

Nitish Rana to Ishan Kishan, A lot slower, around off, Ishan Kishan smashes this towards wide long off for one more. Rana is doing well to keep the ball away from the hitting arc of these destructive batters.

Nitish Rana to Ishan Kishan, WIDE! Full and way too wide outside the tramline. Ishan Kishan leaves it and the umpire calls it a wide.

Nitish Rana to Abhishek Sharma, Full and wide outside off, Abhishek Sharma drives this through cover-point for one.

Nitish Rana to Ishan Kishan, Short of a length, around off, a bit of pause by Rana before delivering this. Ishan hits this back to the right of the bowler and a misfield from Rana allows the single.

Nitish Rana to Abhishek Sharma, Quicker one, into the stumps, Sharma punches this to the right of long off and takes a run.

Nitish Rana to Ishan Kishan, Rana bowls from around the stumps and tosses this wide outside off, Ishan Kishan presses in front and drives this through mid off for a single.

Surprising call as Axar Patel hands the ball back to Nitish Rana instead of Kuldeep Yadav. Rana's gone for 26 in his two overs so far, but there are still two left-handers in the middle and Axar wants to employ an off-spinner.

Axar Patel to Ishan Kishan, Under-cutter, around middle and off, Ishan Kishan steps deep inside the crease and tucks this through mid on for a single to open his account.

STRATEGIC BREAK! End of a mammoth 97-run opening stand for SRH, and this will bring the Capitals a lot of relief. However, Abhishek Sharma, who was the dominant partner in that stand, is still out there, and it will be interesting to see whether he continues going after the bowlers or looks to just rotate strike for a few overs. SRH have plenty of batting to come but for DC, this is the perfect time to use someone like Kuldeep Yadav and try and pick up a couple of more wickets. Let's see how the next phase of play pans out. With that said, the SRH skipper, Ishan Kishan, walks out to bat at number 3.

Axar Patel to Travis Head, OUT! CAUGHT! Head mishits one straight to Rizvi and has to walk back. Length dragged back a bit, around middle and leg, Travis rocks back and looks for that pull over the fielder at the deep mid-wicket region. Head fails to get enough power or height behind it and ends up finding Sameer Rizvi in that region. Rizvi makes no mistake and takes a good catch under pressure to break this opening stand of 97 runs.

Axar Patel to Travis Head, SIX! Second biggie off the over, and this time, it is Head. A tad fuller, around middle and off, Travis Head collapses his back knee and slogs this over the fence towards the cow corner region for six more runs.

Axar Patel to Abhishek Sharma, Short and on off, tapped to mid on for a single.

Axar Patel to Abhishek Sharma, SIX! Hammered down the ground for a biggie. Tossed up, around middle and off, Abhishek Sharma stays leg side of the ball and smashes this up and over the bowler for a biggie towards the sight screen.

Axar Patel to Abhishek Sharma, FIFTY FOR SHARMA! Full around the pads, Abhishek Sharma flicks this towards the deep mid-wicket region and comes back for the second. The throw comes in sharply towards the keeper's end with the batter looking out of his crease, but KL Rahul fails to gather this and Sharma celebrates his half-century.

Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, Change of angle from Kuldeep. He comes from around the wicket and looks to push it across the batter. The length stays full, and Head extends his hands and gets low before lofting it back over the bowler's head. Tristan Stubbs charges across to his left and makes a tumbling stop. Two runs taken.

Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, Oh, that could have gone anywhere! This is full and quick by Kuldeep, outside off. Head stays leg side of the ball and hangs back as he swings hard. Ekes out an inside edge onto the pads and the ball dribbles down the strip.

Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, The length is pulled back and bowled slower through the air too. Abhishek reaches out and drags it to long on for a run. Moves to 49, does Sharma.

Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, FOUR! Thumped! Floated up, closer to the off stump and slightly too full. Abhishek frees his arms and pumps it back over the bowler's head. A couple of bounces and it crashes into the ropes.

Kuldeep Yadav to Abhishek Sharma, Nicely bowled! Kuldeep gives the ball a bit of air and serves it full. Abhishek lets it go but the ball sneaks just inside the guideline.

Kuldeep Yadav to Travis Head, Starts on a good length, on off, a hint of turn. Head punches it away to deep point for a single.

7 runs off the 7th over. Will we see Kuldeep Yadav now? Yes, we will.

Axar Patel to Travis Head, Slightly slower and shorter, on middle. Travis plays it off the back foot to long on and keeps the strike with a single.

Axar Patel to Abhishek Sharma, Full and quick, on leg. This is flicked to deep mid-wicket for a run.

Axar Patel to Travis Head, Just a single. At 87.5 kph, on a good length, around leg. Travis steps out and nurdles it in front of square on the leg side. They think about the second run but the fielders in the deep are quick to charge in.

Axar Patel to Travis Head, A bit fuller but with a flatter trajectory. Travis goes on the back foot and gets on top of the bounce before punching it to the left of deep point for a brace.

Axar Patel to Abhishek Sharma, Keeps it nice and straight, on a nagging length. Abhishek knocks it to long off. They cross.

Axar Patel to Travis Head, Flat and short, on middle, Head presses back and whips it to long on for a single.

SRH openers dominate the Powerplay - Sunrisers Hyderabad have seized complete control early on, racing to a formidable 67 for no loss at the end of the first six overs. The opening duo of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma have been sensational so far. While Abhishek is getting full value for his crisp strokeplay, Head has been striking the ball beautifully despite finding the fielders on a few well-timed shots. With the run rate soaring, Delhi Capitals find themselves under immense pressure and Axar Patel may be forced to introduce Kuldeep Yadav immediately or even himself, as DC desperately need their premier wicket-taker to break this partnership before the game slips away entirely. Axar Patel brings himself into the attack.

Lungi Ngidi to Abhishek Sharma, SIX! Wonderful use of the feet! The extra ball goes out of the park. Ngidi rolls his fingers over the ball, on a length, on middle. Sharma shimmies down the pitch and with a clean swing of the arms, he tonks it towards the sight screen for a six. At the end of 6 overs, SRH are 67/0.

Lungi Ngidi to Abhishek Sharma, Wide! Another off-cutter but this is sprayed beyond the tramline. Sharma gave the bowler the charge but eventually left it alone.

Lungi Ngidi to Travis Head, Ngidi attempts the off-cutter but it comes out as a low full toss, wide on off. Head extends his hands and chips it over extra cover for just a single.

Lungi Ngidi to Abhishek Sharma, Very full, going away. Abhishek steps out and digs it out to deep cover for one.

Lungi Ngidi to Abhishek Sharma, Full and at pace now, in line with the off stump. Sharma does not get the leverage to get under the ball and hits it along the ground to mid on.

Lungi Ngidi to Travis Head, Across off, full in length. Head has a big swing at it but he does not pick the change of pace. Swings early and smears it off the inner half wide of mid-wicket for a single.

Lungi Ngidi to Abhishek Sharma, Out comes the dipping yorker, on off. Abhishek jams it out through covers and crosses over.

Nitish Rana to Travis Head, SIX! All the way! Nitish gives the ball air, on a length, on middle. Head jumps out of the crease and is not entirely to the pitch of the ball. He pauses his bat swing for a brief moment before going through the line. Launches it over long on for his first six of the night. A punch in the air and a bit of a celebration with both hands raised high from the Aussie. 20 runs off the over.

Nitish Rana to Travis Head, Fine stop! Flatter and shorter, on off, Head hangs back this time and powers it away to cover, where David Miller makes a sharp diving stop to his right.

Nitish Rana to Travis Head, Wide! Rana probably predicted the charge from Head. He slants it across the left-hander, Travis halts the charge but still swings at it. The ball drifts beyond the tramline for a wide. The 50 comes up for SRH!

Nitish Rana to Travis Head, Pushed through, full and on leg. Head charges down the track and clips it behind square leg, but he can't get it past Lungi Ngidi.

Nitish Rana to Abhishek Sharma, Better from Rana! Slows it down and this is fuller, on middle. Abhishek gets his hands out in front and eases the drive wide of cover for a single.

Nitish Rana to Abhishek Sharma, SIX! Change of angle from Rana, but the result stays the same. Nitish drops it way too short, on middle. Sharma needs no second invitation as he waits for the ball to come to him and slams it over mid on for half a dozen more.

Nitish Rana to Abhishek Sharma, SIX! Lovely swing of the arms! Drifting in from around the wicket, too full, on middle. Abhishek backs away and opens up the front hip to go inside out over cover for a biggie.

Interesting stat on air - On the 13 occasions when both Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma have fallen in the Powerplay, SRH have managed to win only 3 of those games. Nitish Rana will be bowling another one here.

Lungi Ngidi to Abhishek Sharma, A single to end the over, 10 off it. Full and wide outside off, Sharma reaches out, opens the bat face and glides it to the right of the diving cover-point fielder for one.

Lungi Ngidi to Abhishek Sharma, Should have been put away. A slower ball, bowled wide outside off, Sharma comes forward and ends up just patting the full toss to the cover fielder.

Lungi Ngidi to Abhishek Sharma, FOUR! Oh, nearly goes the distance. Another length ball, outside off, Abhishek Sharma waits back before putting his weight forward and launching it with minimal effort over mid off for another boundary.

Lungi Ngidi to Abhishek Sharma, Full-pitched delivery, lands it around off, Sharma heaves it off the inner half of the blade and across to mid-wicket.

Lungi Ngidi to Abhishek Sharma, FOUR! That didn't come out right from Ngidi's hand. Attempted dipping yorker of the slower variety but it ends up being a juicy full toss on middle. Abhishek waits well and angles it away past mid-wicket for a boundary.

Lungi Ngidi to Travis Head, Good length on off, Head hits it on the rise and through cover-point for a single.

Just the one over for Nitish Rana. Lungi Ngidi replaces him.

Mukesh Kumar to Abhishek Sharma, FOUR! Back of a length, slightly short and on leg stump, Sharma backs away a bit to open up the off side and slaps it away behind the point region to end the over with a boundary. SRH are 26/0 after 3 overs.

Mukesh Kumar to Abhishek Sharma, Well bowled. Abhishek Sharma charges down the pitch, giving himself a bit of room as well. Mukesh Kumar manages to adjust and bangs in a bumper over the leg stump. Sharma tries to thrash it away but is beaten for pace and bounce.

Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, Fuller again, just outside off, punched down to long off for a single.

Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, Pitched up, full and straight, driven straight back. Mukesh gets a hand on it on the follow-through, and the ball deflects away to hit the non-striker.

Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, FOUR! No chance for Rizvi this time as the ball wins the race. Shorter again, on off, around chest height. Travis Head pulls it firmly off the back foot and gets it a bit in front of square leg this time to pick up a boundary.

Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, A skiddy bumper from Mukesh, over off and middle, Head rocks back and pulls it down through square leg. Sameer Rizvi at deep backward square leg runs to his right and cuts it off, saving two runs.

Nitish Rana to Abhishek Sharma, FOUR! Up and over! Good length again, on middle, this one sits up a bit. Abhishek Sharma stands tall and whacks it over mid on for a boundary. Still, just 6 off the over.

Nitish Rana to Travis Head, Fired in at the stumps, the ball curves back in, Head looks to pull but gets an inside edge down to fine leg and collects a single.

Nitish Rana to Travis Head, Nice change-up again from Rana. This is bowled much slower and on off, Travis Head goes back to cut, but the ball goes under the blade. It pops out of KL Rahul's gloves, but there was no edge.

Nitish Rana to Travis Head, Oh, that was bowled seam-up by Rana. On a good length and on off, angles back in, Head watchfully keeps it out.

Nitish Rana to Abhishek Sharma, Nagging length and outside off again, tapped away past point for a single.

Nitish Rana to Abhishek Sharma, Top fielding! Floated up slower and shorter, outside off, Abhishek Sharma waits for the cut and hits it hard to the right of cover-point but Pathum Nissanka springs across to save a certain boundary. Dot ball.

A positive start for SRH. Well, this is interesting. With two left-handers at the crease, Axar Patel brings on Nitish Rana for his off-breaks. Abhishek Sharma's struggles against off-spin are well-documented.

Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, Good work in the deep, this time from Tristan Stubbs. Good-length delivery, outside off, Head stays back and guides the ball away wide of deep backward point. Stubbs runs to his left and makes a tumbling stop, keeping it down to two. SRH are 9/0 after one.

Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, A touch fuller again, around the off stump line, Head pushes it away towards extra cover.

Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, FOUR! Oh, that's timed so well. The in-between length, around leg, nibbles a bit as well. Head gets his hands out in front and plays a wristy flick, getting it between mid on and mid-wicket and the ball runs away to the fence.

Mukesh Kumar to Travis Head, Back of a length again, but the line is much tighter on the off stump. Travis Head hops up and pushes it down in front of mid off.

Mukesh Kumar to Abhishek Sharma, Back of a length, angled across the left-hander, Sharma stands tall and smacks it to deep point for a single.

Mukesh Kumar to Abhishek Sharma, Up and running, are Abhishek Sharma and SRH. Fuller than a good length, swinging into the pads, Sharma clips it down to the left of deep backward square leg and picks up a couple of runs to get off the mark. Good work from Sameer Rizvi down there.

We are all set for the action to begin. It is a sea of orange, with SRH faithful repping their jerseys and waving the flags. The decibel levels go up as Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head walk out to open the innings. It has been a hit-or-miss season for Abhishek so far, with his returns fluctuating between single-digit scores and impactful contributions. He is coming off a 15-ball fifty in the last game, and the home side will be hoping that it marks the start of a consistent run. Mukesh Kumar will take the new ball for the Capitals. Mukesh to Abhishek with a slip in place. Let's play...

Words from the DC camp - Lungi Ngidi says that he would rate himself at a solid seven or seven-and-a-half so far this season. Ngidi adds that while he is generally happy with the results, there are a few games where he could have been sharper. Ngidi finds the IPL challenging due to the intense heat and the high-scoring nature of the wickets. Lungi acknowledges the interesting tactical battle that arises when opponents are also familiar training partners. Lungi concludes by saying that he is focused on carrying that momentum into tonight's match, where his primary goal is to dismiss Heinrich Klaasen in particular.

A quick chat with SRH's star all-rounder - Nitish Kumar Reddy says that he would like to finish the games well, as he was getting good starts but wasn't able to end well and is just trying to focus on finishing the game. On his bowling, NKR says that he has been preparing to do a job with the ball in different phases of the game, and it helps him to grow as an all-rounder. On which batter he likes in the opposition and would like to get the wicket of, Reddy says it is KL Rahul.

Impact sub options for DC - Tripurana Vijay, Ashutosh Sharma, Karun Nair, Dushmantha Chameera and Auqib Nabi.

Delhi Capitals (Playing XI) - KL Rahul (WK), Pathum Nissanka, Sameer Rizvi, Axar Patel (C), David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Nitish Rana (In for Auqib Nabi), Lungi Ngidi, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan and Mukesh Kumar.

Impact sub options for SRH - Ravichandran Smaran, Praful Hinge, Liam Livingstone, Dilshan Madushanka and Harshal Patel.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (Playing XI) - Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (C), Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora (WK), Aniket Verma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivang Kumar, Harsh Dubey (In for Praful Hinge), Sakib Hussain and Eshan Malinga.

The skipper of the Sunrisers Hyderabad - Ishan Kishan says this looks like a different deck to what they have played in the last two games. He informs that Harsh Dubey comes in, a call taken based on the slowness of the pitch. Ishan tells that Praful Hinge might also miss out, with Dilshan Madushanka likely to come in. Believes that the bowlers have done well, and it is more about execution and keeping the right mindset.

The captain of the Delhi Capitals - Axar Patel says that the luck during the toss is with them, but he would have been happier if they had won all the games as well. On playing his 100th IPL game for DC, he says that he wasn't aware of that milestone and hopes that the game goes their way. Axar mentions that the team balance depends on the situation, and managing such a big squad isn't easy, but the players also know that they try to select the best XI. Ends by informing that they have one change in the team as Auqib Nabi goes out and Nitish Rana comes in.

TOSS - Axar Patel is fit to feature tonight, and he is present alongside Ishan Kishan. DC have won all five tosses and bowled first each time. Will it go Axar's way again? The winning streak continues. Delhi Capitals elect to BOWL first.

PITCH REPORT - Former Zimbabwean pacer, Mpumelelo Mbangwa, notes there are clouds around, though the hope is the rain stays away. Mentions that the square boundaries measure 63 metres and 68 metres, with the straight boundary at 75 metres. England's World Cup-winning captain, Eoin Morgan, shares that two of the last three games here have been won by sides batting first, which goes against last year's trend where chasing was more favourable. Eoin tells that SRH's top three have smashed 34 sixes this season, compared to just 12 from DC's top order. Observes that there is absolutely no grass on the surface, with a few cracks visible. He describes it as hard as a 'cat's head' and an absolute belter to bat on. Morgan feels chasing is the way to go and calls it a graveyard for bowlers. When asked by Pommie whether 220 will be a safe total, Eoin replies that you are never safe here. Further says that with one short side and a good surface to bat on, it ultimately comes down to mindset.

The battleground - This fixture is a fascinating clash of styles that will likely be dictated in the Powerplay and the middle overs. On a typically flat, high-scoring Hyderabad deck, SRH will look to blast DC out of the game early with their boundary-heavy template. Conversely, Delhi will bank on their experienced bowlers like Lungi Ngidi and Kuldeep Yadav to dry up the runs and force mistakes from SRH’s aggressive hitters. If DC can navigate the early storm and unleash their middle order against SRH's young pace unit in the death overs, they could snatch a vital away win, however, if SRH batting gets going, it may be a long night for the visitors.

Looking for consistency and power - Delhi Capitals arrive with renewed confidence after a 6-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Their season has been a story of contrasting halves, a strong start with two wins was followed by back-to-back defeats before their recent resurgence. Unlike their opponents for this game, DC’s top order has been far more conservative and doesn't have that imposing six-hitting quality amongst the squad. For Delhi to secure two points in Hyderabad, they need a more settled number three and greater intent from stars like KL Rahul and Pathum Nissanka. Their strength lies in an experienced middle-order engine room featuring David Miller and Tristan Stubbs, supported by the wicket-taking prowess of Lungi Ngidi. A concern surrounding Axar's availability is also something to keep an eye on, as the DC skipper was retired hurt in the previous game.

Finding rhythm amidst inconsistency - Sunrisers Hyderabad have endured a roller-coaster campaign so far, marked by an aggressive but high-risk approach. After a sluggish start with only one win in their first four games, the Orange Army has found momentum at the right time, entering this contest on the back of consecutive victories over the Rajasthan Royals and the Chennai Super Kings. While their top order remains the most explosive in the league, the team needs more collective stability to avoid exposing the middle order too early. To climb higher, SRH must see Travis Head return to his best form and ensure their relatively inexperienced bowling attack, led by the standout Eshan Malinga, maintains the discipline shown in recent home wins.

A crucial mid-table showdown - Hello and welcome to all the fans tuning in for what promises to be a pivotal mid-season encounter between two teams locked in a fierce battle. As the league stage approaches its halfway mark, both sides find themselves on 6 points. Currently, Sunrisers Hyderabad sit in 4th place due to a superior Net Run Rate, while Delhi Capitals are breathing down their necks in 5th place, though notably with a game in hand.

... MATCHDAY ...

Evenly poised, ready to break away - Match 31 of the Indian Premier League 2026 brings together Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, with both sides locked on 6 points. The only separator? Delhi have played a game less. It's been a mixed campaign so far for both teams, but they arrive here on the back of confidence-boosting wins, DC snapping a two-match losing streak against the defending champions, while SRH are eyeing a hat-trick of victories. SRH's firepower - explosive yet unsettled! Sunrisers Hyderabad's season has revolved around bursts of brilliance. Abhishek Sharma has hit form at just the right time, highlighted by a stunning 15-ball fifty in the previous game, while Travis Head is still searching for consistency despite his aggressive intent. Skipper Ishan Kishan started the season with a bang but has tapered off and will be eager to rediscover that rhythm. The most reliable pillar, though, has been Heinrich Klaasen - 283 runs in 6 games, three fifties, and remarkably, not dismissed under 30 even once this season. He's found strong support in Nitish Kumar Reddy, with the duo stitching together two record-breaking fifth-wicket stands, stabilizing innings when needed. Yet, there's a clear concern, once the top three fall, the scoring rate dips. Players like Aniket Verma, Salil Arora and Liam Livingstone haven't quite delivered as expected, leaving gaps in the middle order. Young guns lead the bowling revival - If batting has been inconsistent, SRH's bowling has found momentum in recent games. Two young Indian quicks, Sakib Hussain and Praful Hinge, made a dream debut against Rajasthan, ripping through the top order to leave them at 9/5, both finishing with four-wicket hauls. They followed it up with wickets in the next game as well, setting the tone early. The spin duo of Shivang Kumar and Harsh Dubey has quietly impressed, combining for 10 wickets with control and precision. In the absence of Pat Cummins, Eshan Malinga has stepped up brilliantly, picking up 8 wickets and using reverse swing to devastating effect. It's a bowling unit that is beginning to click at the right time. DC's redemption arc and middle-order calm - Delhi Capitals' last game felt like a turning point. David Miller found redemption after that costly moment against Gujarat, finishing off the chase against RCB with 13 needed off 4 balls, a knock that would have brought immense relief. At the top, KL Rahul has been steady with 168 runs in 5 games, including a crucial fifty in the last match, while Pathum Nissanka has provided quick starts but struggled for consistency. Sameer Rizvi, after two match-winning knocks earlier, has seen a dip in returns. The constant, however, has been Tristan Stubbs, their top scorer and a calm presence in the middle order. The number three slot remains a concern, something DC will want to address soon. Spin control and pace variations - Under Axar Patel, DC have found balance with the ball. He, alongside Kuldeep Yadav, forms a strong spin duo, both picking up 5 wickets each. The pace unit has also played its part. Mukesh Kumar and Auqib Nabi have been effective upfront, while T Natarajan has been used smartly through the middle and death overs. The standout, though, has been Lungi Ngidi, 7 wickets so far, with his deceptive slower balls troubling batters consistently. History slightly in favour of orange - There's very little to separate these two sides historically, with SRH just edging the head-to-head 13-12. At the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, runs have been on offer this season, with an average first innings score around 190, and pacers having a bigger say in outcomes. Team form (Last 5 completed games, recent first) - SRH - WWLLW | DC - WLLWW. What to expect? Two teams, same points, contrasting journeys, and momentum on both sides. SRH will bank on their explosive top order and rising bowling unit, while DC will rely on their composure and finishing ability. In a contest this tight, it might just come down to which middle order holds its nerve better because everything else is almost perfectly balanced.