Based: Dubai Last season: Fourth Best finish: Champions in 2016 Coach: Trevor Bayliss Captain: David Warner. During Australia’s tour of England, Warner has said it has felt odd not being abused by the crowd – and nice, too. IPL crowds are generally less hostile than opposition ones in international cricket, so the absence of any assembly beyond the boundary line in the UAE will be another surreal experience for him. After bursting onto the scene as a leg-spin phenomenon, the Afghan’s returns have plateaued somewhat of late. He has not been a notable force in the CPL, and there might be signs opposition batsmen have figured him out, given how much cricket he plays around the world now. IPL usually brings out the very best in him, though. Hyderabad have not been affected by the spate of big name withdrawals ahead of the IPL. If anything, they have a problem of plenty. Namely, how to fit five proven IPL performers – Warner, Jonny Bairstow, Kane Williamson, Mohammed Nabi and Rashid – into four overseas player berths. Since 2016, Sunrisers have had Chennai levels of consistency in the IPL. They have placed third (when they went on to win the title as well), third, first and fourth in the table in that time. Four of their star foreigners will have delayed arrivals in UAE. The way they start the competition will likely be largely dependent on how quickly Warner, Bairstow, Nabi and Rashid Khan manage the quarantine process and acclimatise. The 2016 champions also have a strong Indian spine, particularly in their pace attack with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma, and Khaleel Ahmed, whose India debut came in Dubai in the 2018 Asia Cup. 1. Match 3, Monday, September 21, 6pm, Dubai - Sunrisers Hyderabad v Royal Challengers Bangalore 2. Match 8, Saturday, September 26, 6pm, Abu Dhabi – Kolkata Knight Riders v Sunrisers Hyderabad 3. Match 11, Tuesday, September 29, 6pm, Abu Dhabi – Delhi Capitals v Sunrisers Hyderabad 4. Match 14, Friday, October 2, 6pm, Dubai – Chennai Super Kings v Sunrisers Hyderabad 5. Match 17, Sunday, October 4, 2pm, Sharjah – Mumbai Indians v Sunrisers Hyderabad 6. Match 22, Thursday, October 8, 6pm, Dubai – Sunrisers Hyderabad v Kings XI Punjab 7. Match 26, Sunday, October 11, 2pm, Dubai – Sunrisers Hyderabad v Rajasthan Royals 8. Match 29, Tuesday, October 13, 6pm, Dubai – Sunrisers Hyderabad v Chennai Super Kings 9. Match 35, Sunday, October 18, 2pm, Abu Dhabi – Sunrisers Hyderabad v Kolkata Knight Riders 10. Match 40, Thursday, October 22, 6pm, Dubai – Rajasthan Royals v Sunrisers Hyderabad 11. Match 43, Saturday, October 24, 6pm, Dubai – Kings XI Punjab v Sunrisers Hyderabad 12. Match 47, Tuesday, October 27, 6pm, Dubai – Sunrisers Hyderabad v Delhi Capitals 13. Match 52, Saturday, October 31, 6pm, Sharjah – Royal Challengers Bangalore v Sunrisers Hyderabad 14. Match 56, Tuesday, November 3, 6pm, Sharjah – Sunrisers Hyderabad v Mumbai Indians
