Chennai Super Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad IPL, 2026, Full Score Card

FOUR! Ravichandran Smaran hits the winning runs. Hyderabad win by 5 wkts with an over to spare. With this result, the Sunrisers are through to the playoffs, and in the process, they also take the Gujarat Titans with them. Kamboj attempts the wide yorker, but it comes out as a low full toss, wide on off. Smaran extends his hands and opens the bat face to carve it over backward point for a boundary.

Right in the blockhole, on off and middle with a bit of tail back into the batter. Arora can't do much about it and digs it out to long on for a single.

Banged in short, over middle. Smaran swivels and pulls it behind square leg for a run. 5 more needed for SRH.

The next batter in is Ravichandran Smaran.

OUT! CAUGHT! End of a fine knock from Ishan Kishan, but he would have loved to be there till the end. Kamboj switches to over the wicket and pushes it across the left-hander. On a length, near the tramline. Kishan reaches out and swings at it. One hand comes off the bat handle and the shot does not have the power to clear the fence. Urvil Patel takes the simplest of catches at long off.

Gets the yorker in, on middle. Arora drills it to long off and takes a single.

SIX! Salil Arora goes big! That should do it for SRH. Seam-up ball from around the wicket at pace, on a length, on middle and leg. Arora clears the front leg and whacks it over square leg, parking it into the stands. 7 more needed for SRH.

The last couple of balls have swung the momentum back in favour of SRH. The crowd has gone silent here.

SIX! What a shot. That sounded so sweet. An excellent finish to the over for SRH. Mukesh Choudhary switches to over the wicket and bowls it on a short of a length, angled in on middle. Kishan gets the front leg out of the way and swings across the line. Clobbers it over mid-wicket for a biggie. 15 runs off the over. SRH need 13 runs in 12 balls.

FOUR! Watch out, Salil! Across off, on the fuller side. Kishan extends his hands and picks the bones out of it. Thumps it back towards the non-striker and Arora ducks out of the way quickly. It races down to the left of long off for a boundary.

Just short! Off-pace delivery at 119.5 kph, into the wicket, outside off. Arora waits back to force it through the off side. He mistimes it to extra cover, where Shivam Dube standing on the edge of the ring, gets his hands out in front but the ball gets to him on the bounce.

From around the wicket to the left-hander, near the tramline, bowled on a length. Ishan is made to reach out and he smacks it to deep cover. Just a single. 24 needed off 15.

Closer to the off stump, on a back o a length. Arora hangs leg side of the ball and dabs it wide of cocer for a single.

Wide! Another ball that is well past the wide guideline. Salil lets it pass.

Wide! Sprayed well beyond the tramline on off. Arora lets it go.

CSK are still breathing in this game. Salil Arora walks out to bat now.

OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Nitish Kumar Reddy holes out. He will be gutted as this was right in the slot. Full and slanting across from over the wicket. Reddy hangs deep in the crease and swings through the line. The ball seams away a touch off the surface to catch the toe end of the blade. It goes only as far as long off, where Urvil Patel moves to his right and takes a safe catch. SRH are 154/4, needing 28 runs off 17 balls.

Will Akeal Hosein bowl out? No, maybe they are just saving him for the last over. It will be Mukesh Choudhary to bowl now.

Pushed well wide on off, a low full toss. Kishan shuffles and throws his hands at the ball. Slices it off the outer half but can't beat short third. 10 runs off the over. 28 needed off 18.

FOUR! Up and over! Anshul Kamboj goes searching for the yorker, on off and middle. Ishan is standing deep in the crease and takes it on the full. He pumps it over wide mid on and picks up a boundary.

Untidy from CSK. Low full toss, going away from around the wicket. Reddy slices it off the outer half over extra cover. Dewald Brevis gets around in the deep and mops it up. He fires in a throw at the bowling end, where Kamboj gets low to collect the ball but lets it through and that allows the batters to take the third run.

Kamboj nails the yorker, across off. Kishan can't get under it and drills it to mid on before setting off for the run. Ruturaj Gaikwad swoops in and was better off having a shy at the bowling end. He throws it to the batting end, where Reddy is home comfortably.

Very full, on off. NKR digs it out to long on for a single.

Incredible work! Not the first time this season that Noor Ahmad has pulled off such an effort. Full and on leg, Kishan plays the pick-up shot off the pads. It goes high in the air towards deep square leg, where Noor leaps and takes the catch. He gets rid of the ball before falling beyond the ropes. Saves five runs for his side. How big will this effort prove to be?

Strategic Break! This game is on a knife-edge. The CSK spinners have pulled things back a bit with a couple of quiet overs. However, the pacers will have to carry on the good job and keep the pressure on. SRH need 38 off 24 balls, and in modern T20, with 7 wickets in hand, you would rather be in the chasing side, but if Chennai can get the wicket of Ishan Kishan and bring in another new batter, it will make things a lot more interesting here. A lot is riding on this game, not just for these two but for a few other sides as well, who will be watching this contest closely.  Also, Anshul Kamboj to bowl after the break.

Does not carry! Flatter and shorter, outside off. Kishan thumps it flat down the ground. Prashant Veer runs in off the long on fence but the ball drops short of him. Just a single. Tidy stuff from Hosein. Just 6 runs off the over.

Fine effort! Sliding across off, on a good length. Kishan walks across and reaches out with his hands. He slams it hard to the right of long off. Urvil Patel sprints and dives to his right in the deep. The ball goes under Urvil's body and threatens to trickle into the fence but Patel stretches his right hand out and prevents the boundary. Two runs taken.

Full and on leg, Reddy clips it through square leg. He is keen for the second run but Ishan sends him back.

Wide! Hosein tries to follow Reddy with a full ball. Sprays it down leg and Sanju Samson does well to get around to his left and gather the ball.

FIFTY FOR KISHAN! It has been hard work tonight for Ishan and he holds the key here for SRH. Short and across the off stump. Kishan walks across and drags the pull between deep mid-wicket and long on for a single.

Cat and mouse between Akeal and Ishan. Hosein spots Kishan shuffle and he fires it wider on off. Ishan slaps it straight to extra cover.

A swing and a miss! A bit of air given, across off, on a length. Kishan reaches out and swings to go through the off side but the ball goes under the blade.

It will be spin from both ends now as Akeal Hosein comes on.

Slows it up, short and on off, Nitish Kumar Reddy keeps it out to the off side.

FOUR! Excellent shot! Flighted, full and around off, Nitish Kumar Reddy leans on to his drive and creams it through covers for a boundary. Noor is not happy with himself.

Tossed up, full and on off, Nitish Kumar Reddy drills it away wide of long off, where the fielder makes a diving stop to his left. Two taken.

A much-needed breakthrough for CSK. Nitish Kumar Reddy walks out to bat. Oh well, something seems to have been said in the CSK huddle, and Heinrich Klaasen did not appear too pleased about it on his way back.

OUT! STUMPED! Could this be the opening for CSK? Noor Ahmad dishes out a wrong'un, full and on off, turns away, Heinrich Klaasen makes room to go big down the ground but the ball spins past the outside edge. Sanju Samson, behind the stumps, collects the ball and whips the bails off in a flash. He is already celebrating, but the third umpire has been called in. The replay shows that Klaasen's back foot is in the air when the stumps are broken. SRH are 131/3, still needing 50 runs in 33 balls.

Stumped? Sanju Samson is confident. The third umpire has been called into action. Klaasen's back leg was in the air when Samson took the bails off. OUT flashes on the big screen.

FOUR! This game is slipping away from CSK! Shorter in length and just outside off, Heinrich Klaasen backs away, gets on top of the bounce and punches it cleanly over extra covers for a boundary.

Fires in a yorker, on off, Ishan Kishan jams it out to long on for a single.

Noor Ahmad (3-0-29-0) is back for his final over.

Hard length and around off, Heinrich Klaasen stabs it straight to extra cover. 12 runs off Dube's over!

FOUR! Up and over! Short and way outside off, slower too. Heinrich Klaasen is never going to miss out on that. He waits for it, hops up and slaps it over point for another boundary.

WIDE! Slower bouncer gone wrong as this goes way over the head of the batter, Heinrich Klaasen is happy to take the wide.

Pace off, into the pitch, outside off, Ishan Kishan swats it to long off for another run.

Fuller one and on off, Heinrich Klaasen drills it down to long on for a run.

FOUR! Powered away! Short of a length but well outside off, Heinrich Klaasen steps across, extends his arms and thrashes it through extra covers for a boundary.

Back of a length and on off, slower as well, Ishan Kishan goes through his pull shot early and gets a bottom edge to the leg side for a single.

One would have thought that Ruturaj Gaikwad might turn back to one of his spinners, but he instead opts for Shivam Dube. CSK's 6th bowling option of the night.

Nails the yorker, on middle, tailing in, Ishan Kishan jams it out to long off for one. SRH need 67 runs in 42 balls now.

FOUR! Fine shot! Short of a length and outside off. Ishan Kishan uses the width on offer, opens the bat face and smacks it through point for a boundary.

Fuller and on middle, Heinrich Klaasen clips it through mid-wicket for a run.

Ishan Kishan signals towards the dugout for a new bat.

WIDE! Tries the slower bouncer, on middle, way too high, Heinrich Klaasen lets it go.

A full toss, on middle and leg, Ishan Kishan hits it towards long on for a single.

SIX! SMOKED! Back of a length, on middle, sits up nicely for the batter. Ishan Kishan stands tall and, with a flourish, he whacks it over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie. That brings up the 50-run stand between these two batters.

Run out chance...missed! Short of a length and outside off, takes pace off, Ishan Kishan stabs it towards extra cover and sets off for the run. Noor Ahmad moves to his left to pick up the ball, takes aim but misses his shy at the bowler's end. Kishan already gave up, and with no backup, the batters get an extra run as well. 100 UP FOR SRH!

A brief halt in play as Dewald Brevis is receiving some treatment on his lower back from the physio. Anshul Kamboj has been brought back. He went for 7 runs in his only over so far.

Pitched up and angling into the pads, Ishan Kishan tucks it through mid-wicket for one more.

Hard length and on off, Heinrich Klaasen makes room and punches it to sweeper cover for one.

Fuller delivery, around off, Heinrich Klaasen opens the bat face and drives it square wide of deep point for a couple of runs.

Short of a length and on middle, Ishan Kishan swats it down to long on for a single.

FOUR! Poor delivery and rightly punished! A low full toss, on the pads, Ishan Kishan flicks it away wide of deep square leg. Noor Ahmad runs to his left and extends his left arm to drag it back, but the ball skids on, hits his hand and goes over the fence for a boundary.

Good length and on middle and leg, Ishan Kishan has no room to work with and pats it back to the bowler.

Pace back on in the form of Spencer Johnson. 2-0-17-0 so far for Johnson. Ishan Kishan did not take many risks against the two spinners, but will he look to go after Johnson?

Drops it short and on middle, stops a bit on the pitch, Ishan Kishan adjusts and pulls it to deep square leg for one more. 14 runs off the over. 92 needed from 54 balls.

Slows it up, full and on middle, Heinrich Klaasen crouches low and swipes it uppishly but safely to deep square leg for one.

FOUR! Gets it away! Dragged back and on middle and leg, Heinrich Klaasen rocks back and pulls it away powerfully in front of square on the leg side for a boundary now.

SIX! Salt to the wounds! Tossed up, full and around off, Heinrich Klaasen backs away a bit to access the off side, extends his arms to get under it and pumps it over the long off fence for a biggie.

Short and on middle, Ishan Kishan nudges it through mid-wicket for a run.

DROPPED! That is a massive moment in this game! Floated, full and on middle, Heinrich Klaasen gets down on one knee to sweep it but gets it nowhere near the middle. It flies towards deep square leg, where Spencer Johnson runs to his left, dives forward to grab it. He grasps it, but when his elbows hit the ground, the ball pops out. A single taken. Klaasen gets a life and this could be very costly for CSK.

Keeps the stumps in play and the length stays full. This is driven to long on for a run by Klaasen. 11 runs off the over. Halfway through the chase, SRH are 75/2, needing 106 runs in 60 balls.

SIX! A shot of high quality. Hosein attacks the stumps with a full ball. Klaasen backs away, exposing all three stumps and opens up the front hip to go inside out over wide long off for a biggie.

Klaasen tries to repeat the dose but the ball is a bit too full for the shot. Gets a bottom edge and the ball rolls to short third.

FOUR! Innovative and mighty effective! Angled in on leg, on the fuller side. Klaasen switches his stance and brings out the switch hit. Hits it over backward point for a boundary.

Did that carry? Akeal Hosein's reaction suggests so. In fact, it has dropped just short. Quicker through the air and the length is dragged back a bit. Klaasen pushes out in front of his body and chips it back towards the bowler. Hosein gets low and sticks out his left hand but the ball drops just short.

Full and darted in, on middle. Klaasen pushes it to extra cover. 27th dot of the SRH innings, according to Raunak Kapoor.

Fractionally short at the sticks, Heinrich jabs it from the crease to wide long on for a single.

FOUR! Hammered away! A bit too short, turning in, on middle. Klaasen hops back and gives himself room. He powers it all along the ground between extra cover and long off for a boundary.

A bit of yes and no! Shorter and on off. Klaasen taps it to the left of point and sets off for the single but Ishan is ball watching. That forces Heinrich to retreat.

The physio is in for the mandatory concussion check, but Heinrich Klaasen is quick to say that he is fine. We are good to go again.

Onto the helmet! Not sure what Noor was appealing for. Floated up, full and on middle. Heinrich Klaasen sinks to a knee for the slog sweep. A bit of extra bounce and the ball deflects onto the helmet off the top edge before dropping on the strip.

Flat and sliding in at the middle stump. Kishan goes on the back foot and nurdles it square on the leg side for one more.

Tossed up on middle. Klaasen eases it to long on and gets to the other end.

Full and speared in at the sticks. Heinrich presents a straight bat for the block. Ekes out an inside edge that goes through square leg for a single.

Flat and short, on off, punched off the back foot to cover.

A big blow to SRH. Heinrich Klaasen comes out to the middle now.

OUT! CAUGHT! The sheepish smile on Akeal Hosein's face tells the story. An innocuous delivery, but it has still fetched him a wicket. This is down leg, on a length. Abhishek drops to a knee and swings away. The ball comes on slower than he expected. It goes off the toe end of the blade and flies straight down the throat of deep backward square leg, where Spencer Johnson bends and snaffles it with ease. Abhishek was tied down by CSK and he departs now. SRH are 56/2, chasing 181.

A bit of air given this time, on a length, outside off. Ishan punches it on the up to deep cover for one more.

Fired in at the pads, on a length. Abhishek wrists it in front of square on the leg side and crosses over.

Pushed across off, on the shorter side. Ishan stays deep in the crease and smears it to deep mid-wicket. Single taken.

Strategic Break! Chennai Super Kings have done well to keep the SRH batters relatively quiet, keeping the asking rate just close to 10. Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan have steadied things, but it is not like the runs are flowing because this wicket is holding up. The middle overs will be a crucial phase, and if Noor and Akeal Hosein can bowl well in tandem, keeping the pressure on the batters, the hosts could just gain a significant advantage in this game. Spin from both ends as expected, and it is Hosein to roll his arm now.

SIX! High and long enough! Noor is unhappy with himself as he could not finish the over strongly. Flighted delivery, too full, on middle and leg. Abhishek gets down on a knee for the slog sweep. Gets more height than distance but clears the deep square leg fence. The 50 is up for SRH.

Rapped on the pads! That is going down leg. Dishes out the wrong'un and this is bowled from behind the stumps by Noor. Turning into the pads, on a length. Abhishek plays all around it to wear it on the front pad.

Too short, wide on off. Sharma slaps it but can't get it past cover. Abhishek will feel that he has missed out.

Serves the googly, on a good length, on middle. Kishan turns it through mid-wicket for a run.

Slows it down and drops it a bit short, on middle. Abhishek nudges it through backward square leg and crosses over.

Down leg, on a length, that is flicked away but straight to the short fine leg fielder.

CSK bring spin right away after the field restrictions are lifted. Here is Noor Ahmad to bowl now.

Good comeback. Nails the yorker, on middle. Ishan digs it out back to Kamboj. After 6 overs, SRH are 45/1, needing 136 runs in 84 balls.

SIX! Kishan gets hold of this one. This is on a good length, a little too straight, on the pads. Ishan gets low and swings away on the leg side. It sails over backward square leg for an 89-metre hit. The ball thuds into the big screen and puts a dent in it.

The dots are piling up. Nails the yorker, on middle. Ishan makes room to go through the off side. He firms the drive but picks out Akeal Hosein at extra cover.

Going away, on a back of a length. Ishan drags the pull straight to mid-wicket.

Dug in short, around leg. Abhishek hops and shovels it aerially through square leg for one.

Full and angling across. Abhishek Sharma dances down the track and backs away too. Ends up giving himself too much room and he cannot connect.

Will Spencer Johnson continue? The answer is no. It will be Anshul Kamboj to close out the Powerplay.

A low full toss, on off, swings away in the air, Abhishek Sharma taps it towards extra cover for one.

Pitched up and on middle and leg, Ishan Kishan drills it towards mid on and scampers across for a quick run.

Much fuller this time, on middle, angling in, Ishan Kishan pushes it back to the bowler.

Bangs this into the pitch, on middle, jags back into the batter, Ishan Kishan gets cramped up for room and pats it down the pitch.

Back of a length and around off, Abhishek Sharma punches it through covers for a single.

FOUR! Fine shot! Short of a length but well outside off, Abhishek Sharma accepts the width on offer, reaches out and slaps it over covers for a boundary.

FOUR! Threads the gap perfectly! Hard-length delivery, around off, shapes away. Ishan Kishan gets his hands away from his body and steers it. He plays it aerially, but in the gap between short third and backward point for a boundary.

Bangs this hard into the deck, outside off, gets extra bounce again with the ball moving away. Ishan Kishan slashes at it but misses.

FOUR! Put away! Back of a length and on middle, pace off as well. Ishan Kishan looks to pull it away but gets it from the inside half of the bat towards the vacant deep square leg fence for a boundary.

Much fuller and on middle, Ishan Kishan drills it to mid on.

Hits the deck hard and just outside off, gets some extra lift off the deck. Ishan Kishan goes chasing after it but misses.

FOUR! Streaky! Fuller in length and around off, shapes away, Ishan Kishan goes for the big booming drive but gets an outside edge that flies well past first slip for a boundary.

Short of a length and outside off, Ishan Kishan cuts it to deep point for one.

An appeal for caught behind, but turned down! Hits the deck hard and outside off, shaping away. Ishan Kishan slashes at it but misses as Sanju Samson collects it behind the stumps. Mukesh and the entire stadium go up in unison but the umpire shakes his head.

Nicely bowled! Right in the blockhole, on middle, shapes away a bit, Ishan Kishan digs it back to the bowler.

Ishan Kishan is in next at number 3.

OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! Mukesh Choudhary gets a big wicket, sending the Chennai crowd into a frenzy. He bangs this into the pitch, outside off, keeping it away from the batter's hitting arc. Travis Head backs away, tries to reach out to pull it away but loses the grip of the bat in the process. It hits the bottom part of his bat and goes up in the air. Mukesh calls for it, settles under it after moving to his right and takes a good catch. He is pumped up. No impact from the SRH Impact Sub.

Back of a length and around off, Travis Head punches it a bit aerially but wide of extra cover for a couple of runs.

Almost makes a meal of it! Short of a length and around the hip, Abhishek Sharma picks it up and pulls it away wide of deep square leg. Urvil Patel runs to his left but fails to judge the spin and overruns it. He gets fingertips of his right hand as the ball rolls behind, but Patel makes the stop in the end. A single taken.

Three dots on the trot to end the over! Much fuller and around off, Travis Head backs away, exposing his stumps but only manages to bunt out to extra cover.

Good length and on the leg stump line, Travis Head fails to flick it away and gets hit on the pads.

Bangs this into the pitch, on middle, holds up in the surface, Travis Head looks to pull but gets an inside edge onto his pads as the ball rolls beside the strip on the off side. Head wants the run but is sent back.

EDGED AND FOUR! Fuller delivery from around the wicket, around off, angling away. Travis Head looks to drive it away but gets a thick outside edge between the keeper and fly slip for a boundary.

Fuller one and around leg, Abhishek Sharma clips it towards mid-wicket for a single.

Spencer Johnson begins with a back-of-a-length delivery, on off, Abhishek Sharma steps across and swats it to mid on.

Spencer Johnson to operate from the other end. This is interesting. Johnson is starting from around the wicket.

Hard length and around off, moves away, Abhishek Sharma has a heave across the line but gets an inside edge onto his pads as the ball rolls to the leg side. Single taken. 10 runs off the first over!

9 runs off the over so far.

WIDE! Short but way outside off, shaping further way, Abhishek Sharma leaves it alone. Called a wide.

FOUR! Up and over! Much fuller and on off, shaping away, Abhishek Sharma gets his front leg out of the way, extends his arms and lofts it over extra covers for another boundary.

Goes from toes to nose! Mukesh Choudhary follows the yorker with a well-directed bouncer, just outside off, Abhishek Sharma backs away a bit but decides to let it go.

Good reply! A fine yorker, on middle, tailing in a bit, Abhishek Sharma digs it out on the pitch.

FOUR! Abhishek Sharma and SRH are underway in the chase! Back of a length and well outside off. Sharma throws his bat at it but gets an outside edge that flies to the left of short third for a boundary.

Mukesh Choudhary starts with a full delivery, shaping away a bit, Abhishek Sharma jams it out towards extra cover.

OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! Praful Hinge wraps up a fine last over with a wicket. Chennai Super Kings finish on 180/7. Hinge bangs this into the pitch, pace on this time. Prashant Veer looks to pull it, but the ball gets big on him. It takes the top edge and goes up in the air. Hinge circles behind him, extends his arms and takes a good catch. Within an instant, he throws the ball up in the air in celebration, and Pat Cummins makes sure to grab it just in case.

A bit of confusion after the completion of the catch, but as it turns out, it is indeed a fair grab.

Another swing and a miss! A well-executed slower bouncer, around off, Prashant Veer goes through the pull shot way too early and misses.

FOUR! Connects with this one alright! Attempted yorker but turns into a low full toss, on off. Prashant Veer stays deep inside his crease and thumps it to the long off fence for a boundary.

Two dots! Into the pitch and around off, gives no pace to the batter. Prashant Veer moves across for the premeditated scoop but gets no connection.

Lands this on a hard length and on off, slower and keeps a bit low, Prashant Veer swings across the line but misses.

Good length and on middle and off, pace off, Prashant Veer opens up his stance and heaves it off the inner half of the bat towards deep mid-wicket and hurries back for the second run.

WIDE! Short of a length but goes down the leg side this time, Prashant Veer leaves it alone. A couple of wides to start the final over.

WIDE! Tries the slower bumper, outside off but this is way too high for the batter. Prashant Veer lets it go.

Praful Hinge (2-0-29-0) to close out the innings for SRH.

Pitched up and on leg, Prashant Veer clips it through square leg for one.

FOUR! Streaky, but they all count! Another slower one, full and outside off. Prashant Veer throws the kitchen sink at it but it goes off the top edge over short third for a boundary.

Elementary stuff on the field! Short of a length and around off, pace off, Akeal Hosein steers it towards point and sets off for a single. A bit of a mix-up, but the batters make their ground, with Abhishek Sharma missing his shy at the batter's end. The ball rolls to the deep, where Eshan Malinga runs to his right and slides to stop it with his foot, but ends up deflecting it away from the sweeper cover as well, who chases to collect it. Meanwhile, the batters collect two extra runs.

SRH go bang, bang. CSK have lost two key men at a really inopportune time. Akeal Hosein comes out to bat.

OUT! CASTLED! Sakib Hussain has his second now. He cleverly rolls his fingers, gets the off-cutter right this time, landing this back of a length and on middle. Shivam Dube gets completely deceived by it as he swipes across the line decades early. He misses and the ball goes through to hit the top of the middle stump.

WIDE! Slower, full but way down the leg side, Shivam Dube lets it go. Wided.

Misses out! A full toss, around off, angling across the batter. Shivam Dube swings a bit too hard, loses his shape and fails to connect.

FOUR! Easy pickings! Short of a length but down the leg side, begging to be hit. Shivam Dube knows fine leg is up in the circle and hooks it past that fielder for a boundary.

Short of a length and on off, Prashant Veer keeps it out to the off side. Malinga finishes a fine spell of bowling with figures of 4-0-26-1.

Prashant Veer is the new batter in for CSK.

OUT! BOWLED'EM! Eshan Malinga strikes at a key time for SRH. He bowls this on a good length at 141.3 kph, on off, nips in just a shy bit. Dewald Brevis stays back and has a hoick across the line, but misses the ball completely as it makes a mess of the stumps behind. End of a cameo from Brevis and CSK are 159/5 now.

Hard length and on off, Dewald Brevis punches it towards extra cover.

SIX! Just over! Eshan Malinga bangs this into the pitch, around off, takes pace off again. Dewald Brevis reads it early and pulls it powerfully towards the deep mid-wicket fence. The fielder thinks he is in the game, leaps, but the ball sails over him for a biggie.

Back of a length and around middle, Shivam Dube heaves it wide of deep mid-wicket for a run.

Fuller and angling into the leg side, Dewald Brevis drills it to long on for a single.

Three overs to go and SRH have a few bowling options to choose from. Probably, Praful Hinge, Eshan Malinga and Sakib Hussain will bowl one each. Eshan Malinga to bowl out now.

Another pace-off delivery, full and on leg, Shivam Dube tucks to the leg side and wants the run but is sent back.

FOUR! He's got that away! Hard length but just strays down the leg side, gives no pace again. Shivam Dube looks to heave it to the leg side but gets a bottom edge that rolls past the keeper and to the fine leg fence for a boundary. That brings up the 50-run stand between these two batters and also the 150 for CSK.

Short of a length and on off, slower once more, Dewald Brevis pulls it through square leg for another run.

Into the deck, outside off, takes pace off, Shivam Dube stays back and swats it to long on for a run.

Hits the deck hard and around off, pace on, Shivam Dube looks to push it away but gets a thick outside edge along the ground to point.

Slower, back of a length and on off, Dewald Brevis punches it to sweeper cover for a single.

STRATEGIC BREAK! CSK have done well to go from 104/4 at the end of the 13th over, to 144/4 now after 16 overs, which means they have scored 40 runs in the last 3 overs. The decision to bring Nitish Kumar Reddy back into the attack is what hampered SRH's tight bowling until then. With just 4 overs to go, anything around 185-190 could be a very defendable score given the sluggish nature of the pitch. Both teams will look to end the first innings on a high, so let's get right to it. Also, Sakib Hussain is back into the attack.

Even fuller this time, on off. Dube squeezes it out to extra cover again. A good comeback from Cummins after conceding a four and a six earlier in the over. The over ends up going for 12 runs. End of a fine spell from the SRH skipper - 4-0-28-3.

Bowled from wider on the crease, the length is pushed up, outside off. Dube extends his hands and knocks it to extra cover.

Wide! Into the strip again, on off, but this is too high. Shivam lets it pass.

Cummins gets the height right this time on the slower bumper, on off. Shivam gets his hands high over his head to control the pull and play it in front of square. It goes off the bottom edge and rolls to the keeper.

On off and middle, on a short of a length. Brevis jabs it towards wide long on. They cross.

FOUR! Easy pickings! Cummins errs in line as he drifts onto the pads, on a good length. Dewald glances it down towards the vacant deep fine leg fence for a boundary.

SIX! Sweetly struck! Slower bouncer from Cummins at 119.1 kph, the line is around the right shoulder. Brevis stands tall and climbs into the pull, hitting it over mid-wicket for a biggie.

Pat Cummins (3-0-16-3) brings himself back into the attack.

Lands it on a shortish length, outside off. Brevis hops and waits for the ball to arrive. Slaps it past extra cover and retains the strike with a single. 10 runs off the over. 28 off the last 2.

In line with the off pole at 141.4 kph. Shivam pushes this full ball to long off and takes a single.

SIX! Clean as a whistle! Malinga sticks to the off-pace delivery but ends up serving it a bit too full, around off. A clean swing of the arms and Dube pumps it over long on for an 86-metre six.

Nicely bowled! Off-cutter, banged into the surface at 121.3 kph, on off. Dube thinks about going after it initially but then sways away and lets it pass.

A bit of tail back into the right-hander, full and on leg. Dewald drives it to long on and turns the strike over.

Across the off stump, on a short of a length. Dube hangs back and punches it to wide mid off for a single.

Will Pat Cummins come back in and bowl out? No, he brings Eshan Malinga back into the attack.

On the shorter side, angled in on middle. Dube rides the bounce and pulls it through backward square leg for a run. 18 runs off the over. Reddy's figures read 2-0-35-0.

Oh, that could have gone anywhere. Slower one at 112.7 kph. full and drifting down leg. Brevis just leaves his bat hanging in line with the ball and it is spooned behind the wicket on the leg side. Ishan Kishan gets to the ball quickly but cannot prevent the batters from completing the single.

SIX! Outta here! 16 runs so far with 2 balls to go. Banged into the deck at pace, over middle. The height does not bother Brevis at all and he swivels to park it into the stands over backward square leg with a pull.

FOUR! Gets it away! Pace on not quite working for Reddy. Bowled on a good length, seam-up ball. Enough width for Brevis and he uses his fast hands to cut it behind point for a four.

Pace is taken off and the length is pulled back a bit, on off. Shivam works it to long off and gets to the other end.

FOUR! Fine shot! At 135.1 kph, pitched up by Reddy. It is a bit too full and Dube leans into the drive. Abhishek Sharma sprints and dives to his right at long off but in vain.

Wide! A wayward start for Reddy. Begins from around the wicket and looks like he went for the off-pace delivery. Sprays it well beyond the tramline on off and the ball dribbles behind towards the keeper.

Beaten! Bowled with a flatter trajectory, short and sliding across. Dewald presses back for the cut but is beaten past the outside edge.

Around off, on a nagging length. Shivam dances down the track and smears it through mid-wicket for just a single.

Drops it short, on off. Brevis slaps it to deep cover and crosses over.

Damage averted! Floated up, full and on off. Brevis dabs it in front of point. An initial yes between the batters before they eventually decide against the single. Dewald retreats and gets home with a dive just before the throw comes in.

Offers flight, very full, on middle. Dube takes it on the full and knocks it to long on for a single to open his account.

Serves the googly, on a good length. Brevis waits back and cuts it to deep cover for a single.

Back to spin as Shivang Kumar replaces Sakib Hussain.

Excellent stuff from the SRH skipper, just a run and a wicket off the over. Cummins goes pace on and slides one into the pads, Shivam Dube plays all around it and gets hit high on the pads.

On a good length, tighter line around off, and angled in. Dube strokes it on the up and towards cover-point.

No wide given. Around the wicket to the left-hander, slower and well short outside off. Shivam Dube leaves it in hopes of a wide call, but won't get it.

In the battle of skippers, Pat Cummins comes out on top here. That brings Shivam Dube out to the middle now.

OUT! CAUGHT! Pat Cummins gets his opposite number and Ruturaj Gaikwad is put out of his misery here. Cummins brings out the slower bumper and directs it really well. It is right around the helmet and Gaikwad tries to take it on. He swivels and is through the pull way too early, ends up hitting it off the bottom part of the blade to deep mid-wicket, where Eshan Malinga takes a straightforward catch. CSK are now 100/4.

Fuller than a good length, sliding it into the stumps. Gaikwad lunges across and flicks it straight to mid-wicket.

Short of a length, at 136.3 kph, and around off. Brevis stays back and awkwardly angles it away through cover-point for one. The 100 is up for CSK.

Tidy end to the over from Sakib, 8 off it in spite of the six. Fullish length, well outside off, jammed away into the off side for a single.

The dots are piling up at the moment. Pitched fuller and outside off, slower too. Brevis is early into the drive and mistimes it to mid off.

Slower and into the pitch again, wide outside off. This one grips and turns in as Brevis smacks it straight to the cover fielder.

WIDE! Back to pace off, back of a length and spilled just down leg. Wide given.

SIX! Ill-directed from Sakib Hussain this time and Brevis pounces on the freebie. Banged in well short and angled down leg, Brevis gets inside the line and pulls it over long leg for a biggie.

Shorter this time, wide outside off, slower too. Brevis reaches for it and smacks it off the toe end of the bat to cover.

Good use of the slower ball again. Bowled from wider on the crease, bashed into the surface but with pace off the ball. The ball angles in and stays low as Dewald Brevis jams it out to covers.

Sakib Hussain is back on.

Another slower delivery to end the over. Back of a length, over middle, Brevis waits back and punches it through mid on for one. CSK are 91/3 after 10 overs.

That's well bowled again. Slower and shorter over middle, grips a bit as well. Dewald Brevis leaves it by moving away from the line of the ball and ducks a bit as well.

Well, once again, we see a wicket fall right after the Strategic Break. Dewald Brevis is the next man in.

OUT! CAUGHT! A couple of dot balls and the need for a boundary grows, bringing the demise of the batter. Pat Cummins goes pace off again, bowling it well into the pitch and wide outside off. There's width on offer and Kartik Sharma hops up to lift it over the cover fence but it is the slower ball and there's not enough power on it. The ball sails down to sweeper cover, where Nitish Kumar Reddy moves to his right and takes a smart catch. End of a breezy knock from Sharma.

Back of a length, over off, no room on offer and Sharma defends it off the back foot.

Out comes the pace off delivery. It is the off-cutter, dug into the pitch and wide outside off. Kartik Sharma has a slash at it but misses as the ball goes past the under edge.

Good length, sliding into the pads, tucked down to fine leg for a single.

Strategic Break! Despite losing a couple of wickets, Chennai Super Kings have managed to score at a brisk rate on a wicket that is on the slower side. With hitters like Dewald Brevis and Shivam Dube still to come, the current partnership is building up a fine platform for them to put on a big score. Sunrisers Hyderabad have been a bit sloppy in the field, missing a couple of run out chances as well. They will need to buckle up as this pitch won't be getting any easier to bat on, with the slower ones gripping and spinners having a lot more help on it. Here is Pat Cummins to bowl after the break.

Dropped shorter, turning away wide of off, cut away to deep backward point for one more.

Flighted ball on the pads, Sharma clears the front leg and clips it to long on for one more.

Quicker through the air, pushed across off. This is cut away right off the keeper's gloves to the left of short third for a single. Good dive from Praful Hinge over there.

Oh, that should have been curtains for Kartik Sharma. Full and on the pads, clipped to short fine leg. The batters look for a single but decide against it halfway and the throw at the bowler's end is a wide one. For a moment, it seemed like the umpire called a dead ball, but it's all fine.

The stand moves to 38 between these two.

Bowled flatter and darted across off, Sharma hangs back and dabs it wide of point for a single.

SIX! Kartik Sharma is riding high on confidence. Floated up, too full and around off, it is the googly. Sharma picks it up and clobbers it down the ground for a biggie.

Gaikwad was gone had the throw hit! Hinge bashes the hard length, on off. A premeditated charge by Gaikwad and he adjusts to the length by tapping to the right of the bowler. He wants to sneak in a quick single but Hinge is quick on his follow-through to get to the ball and has a shy at the batting end. Gaikwad had to put in a desperate dive to get home after being sent back and luckily for him, Hinge missed the target.

Wide! A bouncer by Hinge, on off. Ruturaj Gaikwad ducks under it. Too high for the umpire's liking.

Slower, short ball, over middle. Sharma rolls his wrists over the ball and controls the pull down to mid-wicket. Ravichandran Smaran fails to make a clean stop and the batters cross over.

At the sticks, on a good length. That is punched off the back foot back to the bowler.

FOUR! Not where Kartik intended but he will take it. Off-cutter, banged in short, on off. Kartik gets his hands high and throws the kitchen sink at it. The ball flies down to deep third off an outside edge for a boundary.

SIX! A skimmer from Kartik. He has had enough of ball watching. Cross-seam ball, not all that short and Sharma is a bit cramped for room, but he swivels and manages to pull it to the left of deep backward square leg for a flat six.

FOUR! Kartik ends the boundary drought with a good hit. Bowled on a good length, angled in on the off stump. Kartik shimmies down the track and extends his hands into the lofted stroke. Goes inside out over cover and picks up a boundary.

Praful Hinge is back on. He went for 13 in his first over.

Gives the ball a bit of air, full and on leg. Kartik gets under it and hits it down to long on for a run. 6 runs off the over. It has been 12 balls since the last boundary.

Fuller and across the off the stump. This is punched to wide long on for one more run.

Gets away with it! A long hop by Shivang, it is the googly, on off. Kartik's weight stays on the back foot and he drags it towards deep mid-wicket. Just a single.

Loopy ball, on middle. Ruturaj pushes it to long on and rotates the strike.

Flighted delivery, full and on middle. Kartik works it with the spin to deep mid-wicket for another single.

Fractionally short, on middle and leg. Gaikwad rocks back and is rushed on the pull. He mistimes it to long on for a run.

Good comeback by SRH in the Powerplay. 43 in the first 3 overs, just 14 more in the next 3. Also, Shivang Kumar now comes in to bowl his left-arm wrist spin.

Tight single! Hurls it on a back of a length, on off. Gaikwad taps it off the back foot in front of cover and hurries to the other end. The ball bounces nicely for Ravichandran Smaran, who moves to his left and picks it up before having a shy at the batting end. He fails to hit the stumps but Kartik was in anyway. Another tidy over from Malinga. After 6 overs, CSK are 57/2.

Pushes the length up, on off, Gaikwad leans on and plays a punchy drive but can't beat Pat Cummins at mid off.

A bit of tail back into the right-hander. On the fuller side, on middle. Kartik nudges it square on the leg side and gets to the other end.

Nice and tight, on a short of a length at 142 kph. Ruturaj turns it off the back foot behind square leg and turns the strike over.

Bends his back and goes short, on off, Kartik tries to take on the short ball with the pull but is cramped for room. Ends up stabbing it beside the strip on the leg side and crosses over.

Attacking the front pad with a good-length delivery, Gaikwad wrists it off the pads to deep backward square leg for a single.

Eshan Malinga to continue and close out the Powerplay.

FOUR! Kartik is off the mark! Sakib goes wide on the crease and angles it in, on a good length, outside off. Sharma tries to use the pace by opening the bat face. Gets it more of the toe end of the blade but it goes fine of short third for a boundary. The 50 is up for CSK.

Out comes another off-cutter, on a back of a length and keeps it a bit wide on off. Kartik reaches out but the ball stops on him and he can only pat it to cover.

Hits the back of a length at 133.2 kph, on off. Kartik punches it to cover.

The slower balls are already working on this deck. Kartik Sharma walks out to bat at number 4.

OUT! CLEANED HIM UP! Sakib Hussain is absolutely thrilled and rightly so. He has completely outfoxed Urvil Patel. Off-cutter, bowled into the surface at 116.7 kph, on top of off. Urvil has another heave across the line, but he does not pick the slower one. He swings way too early, and the ball goes under the bat to hit the top of the off pole.

Pace off, dug in short, over middle. Patel swings hard for the pull but he is early into the stroke. Toe-ends it to the man at mid-wicket.

Wide! Bowls the off-cutter into the surface but it drifts down leg. Urvil swings to get it away with the angle but fails to connect. Well, SRH have challenged the wide call. They have already lost one review but they still feel it is worth using a review for wide. Urvil has not shuffled and the ball has not brushed the bat or his body either. The wide call stays. No reviews left for SRH and we are only into the 5th over.

Angled into the sticks, on a length. Gaikwad leans across and knocks it in front of mid on for a quick single.

First over without a boundary. Sakib Hussain has been called into the attack.

Pitched up and on off, Urvil Patel swings a bit too hard, loses his shape and gets an inside edge to square leg. Just 3 runs off the over!

Eshan Malinga sees the batter backs away and bangs in a sharp bouncer, on middle, Urvil Patel is too far away from the ball to make anh contact.

Hard length and on middle, Ruturaj Gaikwad pats it towards mid on for a quick one. Gaikwad had to go around the bowler but made his ground easily in the end.

Short of a length and around off, Urvil Patel crunches the pull towards deep mid-wicket for a run.

Back of a length and on off, Ruturaj Gaikwad dabs it down towards point for a single.

On a length and on middle, angling in, Ruturaj Gaikwad steps across and tucks it to mid-wicket.

Urvil Patel means business. CSK are off to a flying start. Another change in bowling as Eshan Malinga comes on.

SIX! That's just a gift! A full toss finally gets punished in this over. This is angling into the pads and Urvil Patel picks it up and helps it over the deep backward square leg for half a dozen more.

SIX! Gets off the mark in his own fashion! Pat Cummins bangs this into the pitch, on middle and off. Urvil Patel picks up the length early, stands tall and hammers it way over the deep mid-wicket fence for a monster 94-metre biggie.

Full toss, on middle, Urvil Patel is not expecting that and forces it down to mid on.

A strange review from Sanju Samson. Urvil Patel walks in at number 3.

OUT! EDGED AND GONE! SRH skipper gets a key breakthrough for his side. He lands this one on a hard length and around the sixth stump line, gets it to nip back in a bit. Sanju Samson, without moving his feet, looks to drive it on the up but only manages to nick it behind, where the keeper, Ishan Kishan makes no mistake. Samson takes the review, but there was a big noise. UltraEdge confirms an outside edge with a big spike. CSK lose Samson and a review as well.

A low full toss, on off, Sanju Samson drills it away but straight to extra cover.

Good length and on off, Ruturaj Gaikwad guides it through point for a single.

Pat Cummins brings himself into the attack.

FOUR! Hat-trick of boundaries! Keeps the length short and well outside off, Sanju Samson gets the chance to free his arms and crunches it through point for four more runs.

FOUR! Two in two! Bangs this into the pitch, on off, Sanju Samson rides the bounce and tries to pull it away but miscues it off the bottom half of the bat past the bowler. It picks up pace on the quick outfield and beats the chase of Heinrich Klaasen from mid on for another boundary.

FOUR! Gets it away! This is short and outside off again. Sanju Samson hops on his toes and steers it in the gap between short third and backward point for a boundary.

Was there an edge? Hinge hits the length hard and in the channel outside off, takes off a bit this time. Sanju Samson goes for the cut but fails to connect again. Ishan Kishan grabs it behind the stumps, and Hinge appeals for it without much support from others. The umpire says no, but Cummins takes the review, trusting his bowler. UltraEdge shows a flat line when the ball is close to the bat. SRH lose a review early.

Play and a miss! Back of a length and outside off, Sanju Samson gets on his toes and slashes at it, but misses. Ishan Kishan almost collects it on the bounce behind the stumps.

Praful Hinge begins with a hard-length delivery, around off, Ruturaj Gaikwad punches it through covers for a single.

Praful Hinge will steam in from the other end.

FOUR! A perfect start for CSK! Too full and too wide outside off. Sanju Samson accepts the width on offer, throws his hands at it, opens the bat face at the last second and squeezes it to deep point for another boundary. 17 runs off the first over.

Back of a length and on off, Ruturaj Gaikwad swivels, rolls his wrists and pulls it along the ground to deep square leg for a run.

A leg-cutter, on a length and on off, Sanju Samson pushes it to sweeper cover for a single.

Gets it right in the blockhole, on middle, Sanju Samson gets his bat down and jams it out towards cover.

FOUR! Put away! Full again but angling into the pads this time. Sanju Samson brings his wrists into play and flicks it with excellent timing through square leg for a boundary.

SIX! BANG! Sanju Samson makes full use of the Free Hit. Fuller delivery, on middle, Samson stays still, hits it through the line and tonks it over mid on for a biggie.

Nitish Kumar Reddy starts with a short-of-a-length delivery, outside off. Sanju Samson looks to cut it away but the ball does not quite come onto his bat and he ends up stabbing it to cover-point. Uh..oh! The siren goes off, which means Reddy has overstepped on his first ball. No Ball called. Free Hit up next...

We are all set for the action to get underway. As always, it is a sea of yellow at Chepauk, with the crowd turning up in full voice for what is a big night. Pat Cummins and his men spread across the field. Out walk the two CSK openers, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson. Nitish Kumar Reddy will open the attack for SRH. Samson to face the first ball. There is a slip in place. The countdown is done and off we go...

Impact subs nominated by SRH - Aniket Verma, Travis Head, Liam Livingstone, Harsh Dubey and Harshal Patel.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (Playing XI) - Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (WK), Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, Ravichandran Smaran, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Pat Cummins (C), Shivang Kumar, Eshan Malinga, Sakib Hussain and Praful Hinge.

Impact subs nominated by CSK - Mukesh Choudhary, Matthew Short, Sarfaraz Khan, Aman Khan and Gurjapneet Singh.

Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI) - Sanju Samson (WK), Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Urvil Patel, Kartik Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Prashant Veer, Akeal Hosein (In for Gurjapneet Singh), Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj and Spencer Johnson.

The skipper of the Sunrisers Hyderabad - Pat Cummins says tonight is a big occasion for the side and hopes they can seal qualification. He adds that the team is refreshed and ready to go after the break, while also mentioning that the mood in the camp has been excellent. Cummins admits that their brand of cricket will not come off every single game, but says it is an exciting way to play and the side wants to keep backing it. Pat mentions that they would probably have preferred to bowl first. He also confirms that SRH are unchanged from the last game.

The captain of the Chennai Super Kings - Ruturaj Gaikwad says that they will bat first as the wicket looks a bit dry and there doesn't seem to be any dew. Mentions that the ball will stop a bit, and even in the last game, it wasn't easy to bat on in the second innings, and anything around 200 will be a good score. Gaikwad says that this is literally like a knockout game for them, and they will look to do well. Further adds that they will look to assess conditions well. On MS Dhoni, Gaikwad says that it is a good thing that he's here, but unfortunately, he's not fit enough to play today. Adds that hopefully they can win today, and maybe in the final game he can make an appearance. Ends by saying that Akeal Hosein comes in for Gurjapneet Singh.

TOSS - Time for the coin to go up in Chennai. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Pat Cummins both look relaxed and in good spirits. The coin goes up and comes down in favour of Gaikwad. Chennai Super Kings elect to BAT first.

Let's hear from Travis Head - Head says that they got away for a couple of days, which was good for the boys, pretty relaxing but it is nice to be back and he is looking forward to the game. Adds that the result always matters but it is important that he and Abhishek go out there and express themselves freely. Mentions that this game is another challenge for them, the partnership is working and they will look to set up a platform for the team. Head shares that nothing has changed over the three years between him and Abhishek. They have found a way to support each other. Reckons they bounce off each other well, very different play styles but with the same positive intent. Ends by cheekily saying that he is glad that Spencer Johnson is playing and he is looking forward to the challenge.

How's Spencer Johnson feeling? Johnson says that he's recovered well, and it was nice to get the intensity of an actual game, as opposed to the nets. Mentions that the communication has been amazing from the coach and he saw how well Jamie Overton bowled and tried to emulate him. Adds that once he got the clearance from Cricket Australia, the hand brakes were off and he wanted to bowl as fast as possible. Shares that the crowd here is unbelievable, but coming here, things have been awesome and the group sticks together. On bowling to Travis Head, he says that he's looking forward to that battle and the fans will have to wait and see his plans for Head.

Will Dhoni play tonight? Well, for a change, MS Dhoni has arrived at the ground, but that could simply be because this is CSK's final game at Chepauk this season, and a lap of the ground is expected from the home team at the end of the match. But then again, you never quite know with Dhoni.

PITCH REPORT - Graeme Swann is pitchside. He says that it is beautifully warm in Chennai, no surprises there. Adds that the square boundaries are equidistant at 66 meters, while the straight hit is 78 meters. He knocks on the pitch and says that it is rock hard. WV Raman joins him and says that it is a black soil surface. Mentions that we have seen a 200-plus game on this strip, but also a sub-160 match as well. However, looking at the depth of batting on both sides, he expects a high-scoring game. Swann says that he won't be surprised if the team winning the toss bats first. Raman continues the point, saying that the pitch is a bit dry and the spinners could come into play. The boundaries are bigger, and if there is some extra bounce, the spinners can use that as well.

Runs flowing freely - The conditions in Chennai have been far more batting-friendly this season. In 2025, the 200-run mark was not crossed even once at Chepauk, but this year it has happened 5 times in 12 innings. The two pace attacks could have a major say in deciding the outcome. SRH's seamers have picked up 57 wickets this season at a strike rate of 17.7, while CSK's pace unit is not far behind with 49 wickets at a strike rate of 18.1. Stick around for the toss and team news.

Chennai's uphill battle - The Super Kings do not have their destiny in their own hands. All they can do is win their remaining two games and hope other results fall in their favour. They could still potentially sneak through with 14 points, but that would require several results elsewhere to align perfectly for them.

Playoff qualification within reach - Two more teams could join RCB in the playoffs by the end of the night. A win for the Sunrisers Hyderabad would not only confirm their own qualification but also seal the Gujarat Titans' place in the top four. Safe to say, Gujarat's loyalties will firmly rest with Hyderabad tonight.

The business end is here - The league-stage action of IPL 2026 has entered its final week, and with just 8 matches remaining, Royal Challengers Bengaluru are the only team to have sealed a playoff berth so far. That leaves 7 teams battling it out for the remaining three spots in what is shaping up to be a thrilling finish to the league phase. Hello and welcome from Chennai, where the Chennai Super Kings and the Sunrisers Hyderabad are all set to square off in a contest loaded with playoff implications.

... MATCH DAY ...

Southern Derby with everything on the line - The race to the playoffs in the Indian Premier League 2026 is reaching a boiling point, and even with the league stage entering its final week, eight teams are still mathematically alive. Match 63 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium brings a high-pressure Southern Derby between Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, two teams heading in opposite emotional directions despite being separated by only a few moments this season. Sunrisers Hyderabad sit on 14 points from 12 games, and victories in their final two matches would almost certainly seal a playoff spot. Chennai, meanwhile, are hanging by a thread. They must win both remaining games and still hope a few other results fall in their favour after a damaging defeat to an already-eliminated Lucknow Super Giants side. Hyderabad too come into this clash wounded, after being bowled out for just 82 while chasing 169 in their previous outing. Season built on firepower - One poor game does not erase what Sunrisers Hyderabad have built this season. Their batting has been among the most feared in the tournament, led by the outrageous consistency of Heinrich Klaasen, who sits atop the Orangecharts with 508 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate above 150. Abhishek Sharma has been equally destructive with 481 runs, while Travis Head and Ishan Kishan have added constant aggression at the top. The frightening part for opposition teams is that SRH rarely rely on just one batter. Klaasen’s consistency in the middle order has become one of the stories of IPL 2026, with fans and analysts repeatedly highlighting how regularly he has delivered under pressure. Earlier this season against CSK, it was Klaasen and Abhishek who powered SRH to 194, eventually sealing a tense 10-run win. Quietly finding match-winners - While most conversations around Hyderabad revolve around their batting, their bowling has quietly evolved into a reliable unit. Eshan Malinga was the Player of the Match in the earlier meeting against Chennai and has consistently delivered breakthroughs in crucial phases. The turnaround started with the two newcomers, Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain, who have been consistent and with Cummins back in the side, they do have a potent attack. SRH's biggest strength has often been their ability to attack in clusters. Even in games where the batting hasn't exploded, their bowlers have found ways to drag the side back into contests. Hanging on, but still alive - Chennai Super Kings know the equation now - there is no room left for mistakes. Their defeat to Lucknow not only dented momentum but also left their playoff hopes hanging by a thread. Yet, this is still a side capable of catching fire quickly, especially at Chepauk. Ruturaj Gaikwad, after a slow start to the season, has rediscovered rhythm at an important stage, while Sanju Samson has been the heartbeat of their batting lineup with 450 runs in 12 innings, including two centuries this season. Young Kartik Sharma has also emerged as an exciting presence in the middle order, while the likes of Shivam Dube and Dewald Brevis continue to threaten without fully exploding consistently. Kamboj, the revelation - If there has been one unquestionable success story for Chennai this season, it has been Anshul Kamboj. The young pacer sits at the top of his team's wicket charts with 19 wickets and has repeatedly delivered breakthroughs in pressure moments. However, he has been found out in the last couple of games, in fact getting hit four four sixes in a row twice against LSG. Jamie Overton has played perfect supporting role before his unfortunate injury, while Noor Ahmad, after a difficult start to the season, has slowly rediscovered his rhythm. At Chepauk, Chennai’s spin-heavy approach still remains central to their identity, especially on surfaces that tend to slow down as games progress. Their challenge, however, has been consistency, one department often clicking while another falls away. Bringing in Akeal Hosein will be key, as whenever he has played, CSK often end up on the winning side. Team form (Last 5 completed IPL matches, recent first) CSK - LWWWL | SRH - LWLWW. Rivalry turning Hyderabad's way - Historically, Chennai have dominated this rivalry with a 15-8 head-to-head lead, but recent history tells another story. Sunrisers Hyderabad have won the last three meetings, including the earlier clash this season. Now comes perhaps the biggest one of them all, one side trying to finish the job, the other desperately trying to keep hope alive. In a week where every result reshapes the playoff race, this Southern Derby could end up defining far more than just two points.