5 best individual performances in PBKS vs SRH IPL matches ft. Bhuvneshwar Kumar

The Punjab Kings (PBKS) will host the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Match 23 of the IPL 2024 season in Mullanpur on Tuesday, April 9. Both teams have had similar campaigns so far with two wins and as many losses from four games each.

However, both Punjab and Hyderabad are coming into this game with winning momentum. SRH thrashed defending champions Chennai Super Kings, while PBKS completed a thrilling chase against the Gujarat Titans. The two teams' confidence could make this a fascinating and riveting encounter.

On that note, let's take a look at five instances over the years where individuals have stepped up in PBKS vs SRH encounters and produced memorable performances:

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#5 Shikhar Dhawan - 99*(66), SRH vs PBKS, IPL 2023

Punjab Kings skipper Shikhar Dhawan has good memories on an individual level while facing his former franchise SRH, thanks to his valiant performance when the two teams met last year. While most of Punjab's batting faltered, Dhawan's one-man show saw him remain unbeaten on 99 off 66 balls, one short of what should have been a well-deserved century.

The magnitude of Dhawan's knock was so huge that only Sam Curran (22) was the other PBKS batter to get into double figures. The target of 144 didn't prove to be enough as SRH coasted home in the 18th over and won by eight wickets. However, Dhawan's incredible effort is worth the mention here.

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#4 Jonny Bairstow - 97(55), SRH vs KXIP, IPL 2020

David Warner and Jonny Bairstow had formed one of the most dangerous opening combinations in the history of the IPL during their time at SRH. While Warner scored a half-century, Bairstow did the bulk of the damage against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) (now Punjab Kings) when the two teams met in IPL 2020.

The England opener scored 97 off just 55 balls before being trapped in front by Ravi Bishnoi. While Bairstow couldn't score his hundred, his knock ensured that the SunRisers had a massive 201/6 on the board. It proved to be too much for the Kings as they were bundled out for 132 in reply.

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#3 Chris Gayle - 104*(63), KXIP vs SRH, IPL 2018

Kings XI Punjab had taken a punt on West Indies veteran opener Chris Gayle during IPL 2018 season after the southpaw was released by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The punt worked against the SunRisers as Gayle brought up a sensational hundred.

He smashed one boundary and a staggering 11 sixes in his innings of 104*(63) and helped Punjab post a massive 193/3 in their 20 overs. Half-centuries from Kane Williamson (54) and Manish Pandey (57) weren't enough as the SunRisers lost the game by 15 runs. It was a reminder from the Universe Boss Chris Gayle to the IPL that he wasn't finished yet.

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#2 Glenn Maxwell - 95 (43), KXIP vs SRH, IPL 2014

Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell hit a purple patch in the IPL a decade ago when his exploits were one of the main reasons why Punjab went all the way to the final. One of his best performances that season came against the SunRisers in Sharjah.

Maxwell scored 95 off just 43 balls in an innings that had five fours and nine sixes hit. Just like many teams that season, SRH didn't have any answers to Maxwell's brilliance and had to chase a mammoth target of 194. They got nowhere near it in the end, leading to a meek surrender after being bowled out for 121.

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#1 Bhuvneshwar Kumar - 5/19, SRH vs KXIP, IPL 2017

The top performance in this list deservingly goes to a bowler as it was one of the best examples of how an individual can turn the game on its head. Bhuvneshwar Kumar continues to be a spearhead for the SunRisers but he arguably hit peak performance in 2017 against the Kings XI Punjab.

SRH had a fighting total of 160 to defend and started sensationally with Bhuvneshwar trapping Hashim Amla in front on the first ball. Amla's opening partner Manan Vohra played an innings of his lifetime and that's what kept Punjab in the chase till the very end.

Bhuvneshwar had already picked up the wickets of Glenn Maxwell, Mohit Sharma and KC Cariappa. However, him trapping Vohra in front with the latter on 95 effectively sealed the game for the hosts. Siddarth Kaul cleaned up Ishant Sharma to complete a thrilling win for the SunRisers and Bhuvneshwar was adjudged the Player of the Match for his sensational figures of 5/19.