Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) delivered a clinical all-round performance to defeat the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 5 wickets in Match 63 of IPL 2026 at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium. Powered by a brilliant, match-winning 70 from opener Ishan Kishan and a fiery spell from skipper Pat Cummins, the Orange Army officially secured their ticket to the IPL 2026 playoffs alongside Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Match Summary
CSK Score 180/7 in 20 Overs
SRH Score 181/5 in 19 Overs
Result SRH won by 5 wickets with 6 balls remaining
Player of the Match Ishan Kishan (SRH) — 70 runs off 47 balls.
CSK Innings: Cummins Restricts the Hosts Despite Mid-Order Fightback
After opting to bat first, Chennai Super Kings got off to a blistering start courtesy of Sanju Samson, who smashed a rapid 27 off just 13 deliveries. However, his fireworks were cut short by Pat Cummins. CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad struggled heavily to find his rhythm on a tricky Chepauk surface, crawling to a boundary-less 15 off 21 balls before also falling to Cummins.
With CSK stumbling at 100/4, Dewald Brevis (44 off 27 balls) and Shivam Dube (26 off 23 balls) stitched together a crucial 59-run partnership to rescue the innings. Kartik Sharma added a brisk 32 off 19 balls to provide late-middle-order momentum.
Despite their efforts, SRH’s death bowling proved too sharp. Pat Cummins led from the front with exceptional figures of 3/28, while young quick Sakib Hussain picked up 2/34, keeping CSK to a highly competitive but chaseable total of 180/7.
The Chase: Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen Anchor the Playoff Surge
Chasing 181, Sunrisers Hyderabad lost impact player Travis Head (6) early to Mukesh Choudhary, who finished with 2/36. However, Ishan Kishan took control of the chase with a masterclass in anchoring and aggression. Kishan paced his innings beautifully, smashing 7 fours and 3 sixes in his 47-ball 70.
Kishan found a destructive partner in Heinrich Klaasen, who tore into the CSK spin attack. Klaasen’s high-octane 47 off 26 balls (including 6 fours and 2 sixes) completely shifted the momentum in the middle overs and deflated the Chepauk crowd.
The winning shot, the massive celebrations, and the 'Q' secured 🧡
Sunrisers Hyderabad are Playoffs Bound 👏
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/4SxAzYKEvY#TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #CSKvSRH | @SunRisers pic.twitter.com/tvLdxKJdQQ
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 18, 2026
Playoff Bound: With this crucial victory, Sunrisers Hyderabad joins Gujarat Titans (GT) and defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as the third team to officially qualify for the IPL 2026 playoffs.
The finishing move 🧡#TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #CSKvSRH | @SunRisers pic.twitter.com/cgWz8QJRGg
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 18, 2026
SRH will play their final league stage game on May 22 against table-toppers Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Conversely, Chennai Super Kings must win their remaining fixtures and heavily rely on other net run-rate results to slip into the final four.
