IPL 2026: SRH Seal Playoff Spot With Win Over CSK, GT Also Qualify

Chennai: Sunrisers Hyderabad scorched their way into the IPL playoffs on Monday with Ishan Kishan producing a composed masterclass in a tense chase against Chennai Super Kings here at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium. The five-wicket win took Sunrisers to 16 points from 13 matches and the result also dragged Gujarat Titans into the playoffs.

Ishan anchored the pursuit with a measured 70 off 47 deliveries, while Heinrich Klaasen injected momentum through a blistering 46 off just 26 balls, as Sunrises chased down CSK’s 180 with an over to spare.

After a watchful start — managing 32 runs from his first 26 deliveries — Ishan shifted gears expertly to keep the chase on track. His decisive 75-run partnership with Klaasen for the third wicket came in just 41 balls and proved pivotal in tilting the contest in Hyderabad’s favour. CSK were left to rue a costly missed opportunity when Klaasen, on 18, was dropped by Spencer Johnson off the bowling of Noor Ahmad — a lapse that ultimately proved decisive.

In pursuit of CSK’s 180, Sunrisers Hyderabad got off to a composed start despite losing opener Travis Head cheaply for six. Super Kings were desperate for an early breakthrough and Mukesh Choudhary delivered instantly with a sharp caught-and-bowled effort. Even then, Sunrisers remained in control, cruising to 45 for one at the end of the powerplay and 75 for two in 10 overs.

Earlier, Super Kings blazed away at the start before losing momentum through the middle overs, eventually recovering to post a competitive 180 for seven. Sunrisers’ bowling attack, led superbly by captain Pat Cummins, engineered a brilliant comeback with an effective mix of slower balls and cutters. Cummins returned outstanding figures of three for 28 while also delivering 15 dot balls. The pitch, which initially appeared ideal for stroke play, noticeably slowed down as the innings progressed.

Sanju Samson came out firing, smashing Nitish Kumar Reddy over mid-on off the very first delivery. Chennai raced to 17 runs in the opening over and followed it up with another 13-run burst before Samson’s attacking stay came to an end. Attempting another aggressive stroke, he edged Cummins behind, to the wicketkeeper.

Urvil Patel endured a mixed cameo. After beginning with a dot ball, he counterattacked brilliantly with back-to-back sixes off Cummins, including a powerful pull over midwicket that stood out. However, the rest of his brief stay was far less convincing, and a clever slower cutter from Sakib Hussain crashed into his stumps, leaving CSK at 48 for two. Despite the explosive opening, Chennai were pulled back to 57 for two by the end of the powerplay.

Batting at No.4, Kartik Sharma attempted to shoulder the responsibility of lifting the scoring rate, while skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad struggled to find rhythm at the other end. Cummins then struck another decisive blow by removing Kartik, whose attempted cut shot flew straight into the hands of the cover fielder. At the halfway stage, CSK had moved to 91 for three.

Boundaries became increasingly difficult to come by, with Chennai managing only two fours between the ninth and 13th overs as Sunrisers tightened their grip. A counterattacking 59-run partnership off just 38 balls between Dewald Brevis and Shivam Dube revived Chennai after the middle-order slowdown. Brevis led the charge with a fluent 44 off 27 deliveries, ensuring CSK finished with a total that kept them firmly in the contest.