Sunrisers Hyderabad booked its place in the IPL 2026 playoffs with a composed chase against Chennai Super Kings at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Monday, overcoming a challenging surface to secure a crucial victory by three wickets.
The star of the night was Ishan Kishan, whose measured 70 off 47 balls anchored SRH’s chase of 181. Unlike the typically aggressive approach associated with Hyderabad’s batting line-up, Kishan adapted smartly to the two-paced black-soil wicket, rotating strike efficiently and targeting the gaps instead of forcing risky shots.
After a shaky beginning filled with mistimed strokes and edges, Kishan settled down and built the innings carefully. He shared a decisive 75-run partnership with Heinrich Klaasen, who played an aggressive hand of 47 from just 26 deliveries, including six fours and two sixes.
CSK had earlier managed to dismiss Travis Head cheaply and restricted Abhishek Sharma to a subdued 26. However, Klaasen’s attacking use of sweeps and reverse sweeps against spinners Noor Ahmad and Akeal Hosein shifted momentum firmly in SRH’s favour.
Kishan eventually fell with only six runs needed, but Smaran Ravichandran finished the job calmly with a boundary, sealing the chase with an over remaining.
Earlier, CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad chose to bat first, hoping the surface would become tougher under lights. Sanju Samson provided a blistering start, smashing 27 off 13 balls with five boundaries and a six.
SRH captain Pat Cummins quickly adjusted his field to exploit the slowness of the pitch, and the tactic paid off as Samson edged behind trying to use the vacant third-man region.
Cummins and SRH’s bowlers consistently used slower deliveries and into-the-pitch bowling to disrupt CSK’s rhythm. Urvil Patel briefly counterattacked before Sakib Hussain dismissed him with an off-cutter.
Kartik Sharma added momentum during the middle overs with a quick 32, but Cummins returned to remove him with a slower bouncer before trapping Gaikwad, who struggled for fluency during his 15-run innings.
Dewald Brevis later revived the innings with an entertaining 44 off 27 balls, striking four sixes, while Shivam Dube contributed 26. But both fell in successive overs as SRH tightened control at the death.
CSK eventually finished on 180 for seven, a total that proved insufficient as Hyderabad completed the chase and strengthened its title ambitions with a place in the playoffs.
