Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) booked their place in the IPL 2026 playoffs with a five-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at MA Chidambaram Stadium on Monday (May 18).
The hosts posted a total of 180/7 in 20 overs after opting to bat, with Dewald Brevis top-scoring with 44. SRH skipper Pat Cummins stole the show with three wickets.
In response, the Sunrisers lost openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma cheaply. However, Ishan Kishan produced a dazzling knock of 70 runs in just 27 balls and stitched a 75-run partnership for the third wicket with Heinrich Klaasen (47 off 26) to help the visitors clinch victory with an over to spare.
Speaking after the game, Kishan stated that he realized how tough the wicket was while wicketkeeping, noting the spinners were getting heavy grip and the slower balls were highly effective.
“I think, when I was wicket keeping, I just felt like this wicket is not easy. I still felt chasing this total is going to be a bit too much because, the wicket was not at all easy, especially when spinners were bowling and those slow balls working out very well, but at the same time, as a number three batter, I just felt, my job is to just try and finish the game because, batters coming in, especially at the back end, it's difficult for them to take singles and at the same time score boundaries. So I had to just play it till the last over,” quoted Kishan in the post-match interview after receiving the Player-of-the-Match award.
Talking about his approach on such a surface, the southpaw said his main job as a No. 3 batter was to bat deep into the innings.
“It was just about being there, believing in yourself. Sometimes that situation is difficult, but we all know how, these games are won because you need to believe in yourself. You cannot doubt yourself at any point of time. So I was just trying to keep it simple, try and bat as many overs as I can because being a left-hander, being in the middle, it's difficult for the bowlers to keep the areas right every time. So I was just keeping it simple and trying to play till the last over,” he added.
Reflecting on his match-defining partnership with Klaasen, Kishan said they didn't need many tactical discussions and simply trusted their natural instincts and played shots. “There was no conversation to be had. We both were just playing our shots,” he remarked.
Ishan Kishan revealed that having his bereaved cousin—who had recently lost his sister—watching him live in the stands served as his primary motivation.
“Sometimes I feel it's also about motivation, and for me, my motivation was today, my cousin is just standing there. He lost his sister. It was a tough time in our family and they are watching the match for the first time here. So I just wanted to finish the game for them, and I'm glad they were here to witness this innings, and I was able to finish this game. I was just feeling blessed from upstairs. I had that sense of power, like, yes, I can do it if I'm there for the team. We will qualify and especially, he'll be happy about it,” he concluded.
