Sunrisers Hyderabad clinched their place in the IPL 2026 playoffs with a stunning win over Chennai Super Kings on Monday. Joining the celebrations were Abhishek Sharma's family in Chennai. In a video posted by his sister, Abhishek's mother can be seen blowing a 'yellow whistle' perceived to be mocking the CSK fans as they stare at elimination.
The clip, shared by Abhishek's sister on Instagram, showed the batter's mother celebrating enthusiastically after SRH's triumph. In the now-viral moment, she was seen blowing a yellow whistle — a gesture many online users interpreted as a playful dig at Chennai Super Kings and their supporters following the team's elimination setback.
The choice of the yellow whistle drew immediate reactions online given CSK's iconic yellow colours and the popular "Whistle Podu" chant closely associated with the franchise and its fanbase.
Earlier, Ishan Kishan had grabbed attention for his animated “Whistle Podu” celebration, famously associated with CSK fans, before playfully gesturing toward the Chennai crowd during the post-match celebrations.
The win confirmed SRH’s place in the IPL 2026 playoffs and dealt a major blow to CSK’s qualification hopes. Pat Cummins led the charge with the ball earlier in the evening, picking up three wickets to help restrict Chennai to 180/7. Dewald Brevis top-scored for CSK with 44, while Heinrich Klaasen supported Kishan during the chase with a crucial 47-run knock.
