Chennai Super Kings fans suffered a major heartbreak after CSK lost a crucial clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad at their home ground, M. A. Chidambaram Stadium.
In reply to CSK's 180 for seven, SRH made 181 for five in 19 overs to qualify for the IPL playoffs along with Gujarat Titans.
The Sunrisers did not enjoy the smoothest of starts to their chase, losing Travis Head early in the innings.
Abhishek Sharma too found it difficult to time the ball, labouring to a 21-ball 26 as SRH struggled to build momentum during the Power Play, ending it at 45/1.
However, the game shifted once Heinrich Klaasen joined Ishan Kishan in the middle. Klaasen, who got a lifeline on 18 after Spencer Johnson dropped him off Noor Ahmad, made full use of the opportunity.
The pair countered CSK’s spin attack of Akeal Hosein and Noor Ahmad with aggressive strokeplay and clever footwork, steadily pulling SRH closer to the target.
Kishan reached his half-century in 37 balls but soon lost Klaasen to a sharp stumping by Sanju Samson off Noor Ahmad. Still, the left-hander continued to anchor the chase with a series of classy shots around the ground, converting his fifty into a decisive knock.
Kishan eventually fell to Anshul Kamboj, but by then SRH needed only six runs to complete the chase.
Earlier, SRH skipper Pat Cummins showcased his exceptional control with the ball, although a collective batting effort helped CSK post a competitive 180/7 after electing to bat first.
Cummins (3/28) struck at crucial moments to prevent Chennai from running away with the game.
Sanju Samson provided a blazing start for CSK, hammering Nitish Kumar Reddy for 6, 4, 4 in the opening over to collect 17 runs.
He continued the assault against Praful Hinge in the following over, smashing three consecutive boundaries.
But Cummins made an immediate impact after bringing himself on in the third over. Bowling a fuller delivery at good pace, he induced Samson into a booming drive that ended safely in the gloves of wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan.
Urvil Patel then showcased his hitting prowess with back-to-back sixes off Cummins before Sakib Hussain deceived him with a slower delivery that crashed into the stumps.
CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and the impressive Kartik Sharma (32 off 19 balls) stitched together a 42-run stand for the third wicket to stabilise the innings.
Kartik continued to impress with his fearless strokeplay, producing a stylish inside-out boundary off Hinge and a pulled six against left-arm wrist-spinner Shivang Kumar.
Cummins, however, returned to break the partnership. His slower delivery outside off took the pace away from Kartik’s attempted upper cut, resulting in a catch for Nitish in the deep.
Soon after, Cummins dismissed Gaikwad as well with a sharp chest-high bouncer. Gaikwad’s mistimed pull failed to clear Eshan Malinga in the deep, ending a scratchy innings of 15 off 21 balls.
With the innings losing momentum, Dewald Brevis (44 off 27 balls) and Shivam Dube (26) revived CSK through a 59-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Brevis, who had struggled for rhythm earlier in the season, looked in sublime touch, smashing Cummins for a six and taking Nitish apart for another maximum and a boundary. It turned out to be his highest score of the IPL 2026 season.
But just as CSK looked set for a strong finish, Malinga produced a 141 kmph thunderbolt that shattered Brevis’ stumps and halted Chennai’s charge once again.
Brief Scores: Chennai Super Kings 180/7 in 20 overs (Kartik Sharma 32, Dewald Brevis 44; Pat Cummins 3/28) lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad 181/5 in 19 overs (Ishan Kishan 70, Heinrich Klaasen 47; Mukesh Choudhary 2/36) by 5 wickets.
