Chennai, May 18: Sunrisers Hyderabad became the third team to qualify for the IPL 2026 playoffs after defeating Chennai Super Kings by five wickets in a crucial clash at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Monday. Chasing 181 for victory, SRH reached the target in 19 overs with five wickets in hand to confirm their place in the top four.
Ishan Kishan starred with a match-winning 70 off 47 balls, while Heinrich Klaasen played an attacking knock of 47 from 26 deliveries to keep the chase on track.
SRH had a shaky start after losing Travis Head early, but Kishan handled the pressure well and stitched important partnerships in the middle overs. Abhishek Sharma scored 26, while Nitish Kumar Reddy added a useful cameo before the lower order finished the chase comfortably.
Earlier, CSK scored 180/7 after batting first in their final home game of the season. Dewald Brevis top-scored with 44 runs, while Sanju Samson provided a quick start with 27. However, Chennai kept losing wickets at regular intervals and could not post a bigger total.
Pat Cummins impressed with the ball and picked up three wickets for SRH, while Sakib Hussain claimed two important dismissals. The win helped Sunrisers officially secure a playoff berth and continue their strong run in IPL 2026.
