Mullanpur Pitch Report Today: PBKS vs SRH Match 17, IPL 2026
-
Faraz Hassan
- Updated: April 10, 2026
- 11:50 IST
Quick Answer:
Pitch: Balanced and slightly batting-friendly with strong pace support — build your fantasy team around pacers and top-order hitters.
Match Details
Punjab Kings (PBKS) vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) Match 17, IPL 2026 Venue: Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, New Chandigarh Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026 Start Time: 3:30 PM IST
Shreyas Iyer will captain PBKS, while Ishan Kishan will lead SRH. Ishan Kishan has been appointed as interim captain of SRH till Pat Cummins recovers from injury.
Pitch Report — Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium, Mullanpur
- The pitch has a mix of red and black soil, providing good bounce early on and allowing batters to score freely in the powerplay.
- Average first-innings score sits around 165–170, though totals of 180 and even 190+ have been recorded here.
- As the game progresses, the surface tends to slow down, making stroke play slightly harder in the middle and death overs.
- Fast bowlers can get swing with the new ball, but once it gets older, slower balls and cutters become the most effective weapons.
- The surface today is expected to be flat and hard, with very little green grass. Spinners will likely struggle to find meaningful turn.
- Because this is a 3:30 PM afternoon start, there will be no dew factor — batting first is a fully viable option, and bowlers will have dry-ball grip throughout both innings.
Toss — Does It Matter Here?
Toss data at this stadium suggests no clear advantage between batting first and chasing, with teams winning 50% of matches each way. However, teams winning the toss have gone on to win 66.67% of matches, meaning the decision made at the toss is still impactful.
3 of the last 4 IPL games played at Mullanpur were won by the team batting second. However, because today’s match starts in the afternoon with no dew, the advantage shifts slightly toward batting first. Teams that set a target of 180+ will put real pressure on the chasing side.
Recent Venue Stats — IPL Matches at Mullanpur
- A total of 12 IPL matches have been played at this stadium so far.
- Average first innings score at this venue is 168.
- Teams batting first have won 6 matches, while the chasing side has won 5.
- However, in recent form, 3 of the last 4 IPL games at Mullanpur were won by the team batting second.
- Batters have hit a combined 295 fours and 161 sixes across IPL matches here, at an overall batting strike rate of 146.74.
- The highest score recorded at this ground in IPL is 228, made by Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2025 Eliminator.
- Teams that win the toss have gone on to win 66.67% of matches at this venue — so the toss decision genuinely matters here.
How the Pitch Suits Each Team
PBKS have a pace-heavy attack, and this pitch suits them. The Mullanpur pitch tends to offer help for pace bowlers, especially with the new ball. PBKS’s bowling is better suited to Mullanpur conditions, and Arshdeep Singh will look to take early wickets.
Punjab Kings have looked one of the more balanced sides so far, winning two of their first three matches. Their batting lineup, led by Shreyas Iyer and supported by Prabhsimran Singh, has delivered consistently, while their bowling unit has stepped up at key moments.
For SRH, the batting is dangerous but inconsistent. SRH’s batting swings between extremes — scoring 226 against KKR and collapsing to 156 against LSG. Heinrich Klaasen’s 62 off 41 against LSG was the lone bright spot, and the team’s reliance on him is becoming a tactical concern. Their bowling has also lacked late-innings control in Pat Cummins’ absence.
SRH heavily lacks a quality, frontline spinner capable of controlling the middle overs. On a pitch where spin may offer some help in the middle overs, this could be a problem for them.
Head-to-Head Record — PBKS vs SRH
- The two teams have faced each other 24 times in IPL history overall.
- Sunrisers Hyderabad have won 17 of those 24 matches. Punjab Kings have won only 7.
- SRH clearly dominate this rivalry on paper. However, current IPL 2026 form tells a different story.
- Punjab Kings come into this match with 2 wins from 3 games and a healthy NRR of +0.637, sitting comfortably in the top half of the table.
- SRH, on the other hand, have been inconsistent — scoring 226 against KKR in one game and then collapsing to 156 against LSG in the next.
- Pat Cummins remains injured, with Ishan Kishan serving as interim captain — adding further instability to SRH’s setup heading into this match.
Fantasy Tips Based on Pitch
Here is how you should approach your fantasy team for today:
Pace bowlers are your best friends on this surface. Arshdeep Singh is a must-pick — he hits the pitch hard, swings early, and gets wickets in the powerplay. Vijaykumar Vyshak has also been in excellent form. Vijaykumar Vyshak has impressed early with 5 wickets in just 2 matches.
For batting, the openers are key on this surface. Prabhsimran Singh has been a model of consistency for Punjab Kings, comfortably crossing 25 runs in both his outings this year, and his historical data against SRH is outstanding — he has scored at least 42 runs in each of his last two innings against them. He is a strong captain or vice-captain option.
Travis Head from SRH is always dangerous and gives high fantasy returns quickly. However, Yuzvendra Chahal’s wrist spin against Heinrich Klaasen — whose early-innings vulnerability to leg-spin has been exposed twice in 2026 — will be a key battle to watch.
For safe captain picks: Prabhsimran Singh or Shreyas Iyer.
For risky high-reward picks: Travis Head or Heinrich Klaasen.
Weather Report
The weather in Mullanpur should be good for cricket on match day. Temperature may reach around 31 degrees Celsius, humidity levels are expected to remain moderate, and there is no prediction of rain. The match is likely to be completed without any interruptions.
No rain threat. No dew in the afternoon. Bowlers will get full benefit of dry conditions throughout both innings.
Final Verdict — Batting or Bowling Pitch?
The Mullanpur pitch today is a balanced surface that leans slightly toward batting. Expect the first innings to produce around 170–185 runs. Pace bowlers will be effective with the new ball and in the death overs. Spinners will have a limited but usable role in the middle overs. The afternoon start removes the dew factor completely, so whoever wins the toss can choose either option without a big disadvantage.
In simple terms: if you are making a fantasy team, pick your pace bowling all-rounders first, follow it with top-order batters, and keep at least one spinner from PBKS (Yuzvendra Chahal is a genuine option today given SRH’s weakness against wrist spin).
Expect a close game. PBKS have home advantage, better current form, and a bowling attack well-suited to Mullanpur. But SRH’s batting has match-winners who can change the game in a single powerplay.
❓FAQs
Balanced but slightly batting-friendly; expect 170–185 runs.
Pacers dominate; spinners have limited impact.
Yes, but no big advantage — batting first is slightly better (no dew).
