Hyderabad solve the chase they used to lose

Punjab Kings posted 182 at Mullanpur and, for about seven overs, looked like they had enough. Then Travis Head decided otherwise. His 88 from 47 balls was built on the cut and the pull, the two shots the new Mullanpur bounce actually rewards, and by the time he fell the required rate had collapsed under its own weight.

Shreyas Iyer had given Punjab a platform with 64, and Glenn Maxwell briefly threatened to make it a total worth defending. But 182 needs a fast start to defend, and Punjab did not get a wicket in the powerplay. Against this Sunrisers side, that is close to fatal.

Head does not chase totals. He removes them from the equation.

Heinrich Klaasen finished it without fuss, 39 not out, and Hyderabad move to 12 points. The interesting detail is what did not happen: the rebuilt death bowling never had to bowl a meaningful over. A team that used to lose this exact game now wins it before the pressure arrives.