The Sunrisers Hyderabad host the table-topping Punjab Kings at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on May 6, Wednesday, in Match 49 of the Indian Premier League 2026. SRH is looking for revenge after their defeat to Punjab earlier in April, while PBKS aim to halt a recent two-game losing streak and consolidate their lead at the summit. With both teams featuring explosive batting lineups and pacers, the strategic use of the “Impact Player” rule is expected to be the deciding factor in tonight’s clash.
SRH vs PBKS Impact Players For Today’s IPL Match:
Eshan Malinga For SRH
Across the 19 matches the Sri Lankan pacer has played in the 2026 season, Malinga has claimed 15 wickets, averaging nearly every two overs. Known for his skiddy trajectory and 140+ km/h pace, he serves as SRH’s primary weapon at the death. If Hyderabad bowls second, Malinga is almost certain to be the first man called upon to stifle a Punjab lineup featuring heavy hitters.
Vijaykumar Vyshak For PBKS
Punjab Kings have discovered a reliable death-overs specialist in the Karnataka pacer, Vijaykumar Vyshak. Originally signed as a domestic talent with clever variations, Vyshak has become PBKS’s preferred defensive weapon when guarding a total. In the 8 matches he has appeared in this season, Vyshak has often been utilized as an Impact Sub and picked 8 wickets so far. He reached 20 career IPL wickets during his match-winning spell against GT on March 31.
Sakib Hussain For SRH
Sakib Hussain has impressed in IPL 2026 with 9 wickets in 6 matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad, making a stunning debut on April 13 against Rajasthan Royals where he returned figures of 4/24, the joint-best by an Indian on debut, and has since maintained remarkable consistency by picking up exactly one wicket in every game.
SRH vs PBKS Predicted Playing XIs and Impact Players:
SunRisers Hyderabad: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan(wk), Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Aniket Verma, Pat Cummins(c), Harsh Dubey, Sakib Hussain, Harshal Patel
Imapct Players: Eshan Malinga/Sakib Hussain
Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh(wk), Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer(c), Marcus Stoinis, Suryansh Shedge, Nehal Wadhera, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
Impact Platers: Vijaykumar Vyshak
