HIGHLIGHTS Chennai Super Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad IPL 2026 Match 63 - Result, Scorecard

All set for SRH's reply to begin. Ruturaj Gaikwad leads his men out onto the park. It will be the explosive pairing of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head to open for SRH. Head is Hyderabad's Impact Sub. Sakib Hussain has been subbed out. Mukesh Choudhary is the Impact Sub for the Super Kings. Kartik Sharma makes way. Choudhary will take the new ball. Abhishek will take strike. Interestingly, there is no slip in place, but there is a man at a fine short third. Here we go...

... THE RUN CHASE ...

Crunch time at the Chepauk - Right then, 181 is what Sunrisers Hyderabad need to seal a playoff berth and make life very difficult for Chennai Super Kings. On the other hand, CSK know the conditions well, and they will look to replicate how the SRH bowlers used the pace off deliveries. A win for CSK will give them a major boost in the playoff race, but do they have enough runs on the board? We shall find out soon enough. Stay tuned for the crucial run chase.

Let's now hear from CSK's top-scorer - Dewald Brevis feels that they have got a good score on the board and adds that it is not an easy wicket to bat on. He mentions that he is excited to see what the bowlers can do in these conditions. On the batting approach, Dewald keeps his cards close to his chest but says the key was to take it one ball at a time, stay positive and accept that not every delivery can be put away. Brevis says he likes to take things day by day. He admits it was not an easy start to the tournament for him personally, but adds that cricket is a team sport, and as long as the team wins, that is all that matters to him.

Hit and miss - Overall, it was a mixed bag from the SRH bowlers as the likes of Pat Cummins, Eshan Malinga and Sakib Hussain bowled really well but Nitish Kumar Reddy and Praful Hinge were put to the sword. The lone spinner Shivang Kumar was also economical, but wasn't given a fourth over. After being taken aback in the first couple of overs, SRH answered back with fire. The skipper led the charge with 3 wickets to his name and Hussain knocked over a couple of big hitters in the form of Urvil Patel and Shivam Dube and even Hinge managed to close out the innings well, keeping CSK down to 180 runs.

The Super Kings won't be displeased - A surprise decision to bat first from Ruturaj Gaikwad as he felt that the pitch would slow down, and hence, CSK tried to attack in the Powerplay. Sanju Samson was flying high before Pat Cummins clipped his wings. Kartik Sharma played a handy knock, but CSK kept losing wickets. Dewald Brevis weathered the barrage of slower deliveries well and scored a crucial 44. There were contributions right through the batting order, but almost none of them were decisive.

Game in the balance - A very well fought first 20 overs of the contest, and at the innings interval, it all hangs in the balance. The Super Kings got out of the blocks quickly, but the Sunrisers dominated the middle overs, and the death overs were a real tussle between both sides, ending in a very watchable first innings.

Praful Hinge to Prashant Veer, 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.

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

Praful Hinge to Prashant Veer, 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.

Praful Hinge to Prashant Veer, 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.

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

Praful Hinge to Prashant Veer, 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.

Praful Hinge to Prashant Veer, 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.

Praful Hinge to Prashant Veer, 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.

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

Sakib Hussain to Prashant Veer, 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.

Sakib Hussain to Akeal Hosein, 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.

Sakib Hussain to Shivam Dube, 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.

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

Sakib Hussain to Shivam Dube, 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.

Sakib Hussain to Shivam Dube, 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.

Eshan Malinga to Prashant Veer, 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.

Eshan Malinga to Dewald Brevis, 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.

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

Eshan Malinga to Dewald Brevis, 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.

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

Eshan Malinga to Dewald Brevis, 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.

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

Sakib Hussain to Shivam Dube, 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.

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

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

Sakib Hussain to Shivam Dube, 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.

Sakib Hussain to Dewald Brevis, 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.

Pat Cummins to Shivam Dube, 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.

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

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

Pat Cummins to Shivam Dube, 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.

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

Pat Cummins to Dewald Brevis, 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.

Pat Cummins to Dewald Brevis, 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.

Eshan Malinga to Dewald Brevis, 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.

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

Eshan Malinga to Shivam Dube, 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.

Eshan Malinga to Shivam Dube, 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.

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

Eshan Malinga to Shivam Dube, 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.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Shivam Dube, 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.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Dewald Brevis, 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.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Dewald Brevis, 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.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Dewald Brevis, 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.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Shivam Dube, 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.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Shivam Dube, 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.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Shivam Dube, 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.

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

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

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

Shivang Kumar to Dewald Brevis, 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.

Shivang Kumar to Shivam Dube, 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.

Shivang Kumar to Dewald Brevis, 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.

Pat Cummins to Shivam Dube, 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.

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

Pat Cummins to Shivam Dube, 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.

Pat Cummins to Ruturaj Gaikwad, 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.

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

Pat Cummins to Dewald Brevis, 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.

Sakib Hussain to Dewald Brevis, 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.

Sakib Hussain to Dewald Brevis, 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.

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

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

Sakib Hussain to Dewald Brevis, 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.

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

Sakib Hussain to Dewald Brevis, 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.

Pat Cummins to Dewald Brevis, 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.

Pat Cummins to Dewald Brevis, 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.

Pat Cummins to Kartik Sharma, 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.

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

Pat Cummins to Kartik Sharma, 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.

Pat Cummins to Ruturaj Gaikwad, 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.

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

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

Shivang Kumar to Ruturaj Gaikwad, 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.

Shivang Kumar to Ruturaj Gaikwad, 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.

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

Shivang Kumar to Kartik Sharma, 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.

Praful Hinge to Ruturaj Gaikwad, 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.

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

Praful Hinge to Kartik Sharma, 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.

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

Praful Hinge to Kartik Sharma, 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.

Praful Hinge to Kartik Sharma, 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.

Praful Hinge to Kartik Sharma, 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.

Shivang Kumar to Kartik Sharma, 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.

Shivang Kumar to Ruturaj Gaikwad, Fuller and across the off the stump. This is punched to wide long on for one more run.

Shivang Kumar to Kartik Sharma, 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.

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

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

Shivang Kumar to Ruturaj Gaikwad, 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.

Eshan Malinga to Ruturaj Gaikwad, 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.

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

Eshan Malinga to Kartik Sharma, 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.

Eshan Malinga to Ruturaj Gaikwad, 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.

Eshan Malinga to Kartik Sharma, 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.

Eshan Malinga to Ruturaj Gaikwad, 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.

Sakib Hussain to Kartik Sharma, 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.

Sakib Hussain to Kartik Sharma, 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.

Sakib Hussain to Kartik Sharma, 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.

Sakib Hussain to Urvil Patel, 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.

Sakib Hussain to Urvil Patel, 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.

Sakib Hussain to Urvil Patel, 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.

Sakib Hussain to Ruturaj Gaikwad, 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.

Eshan Malinga to Urvil Patel, 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 to Urvil Patel, 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.

Eshan Malinga to Ruturaj Gaikwad, 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.

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

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

Eshan Malinga to Ruturaj Gaikwad, 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.

Pat Cummins to Urvil Patel, 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.

Pat Cummins to Urvil Patel, 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.

Pat Cummins to Urvil Patel, 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.

Pat Cummins to Sanju Samson, 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.

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

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

Pat Cummins brings himself into the attack.

Praful Hinge to Sanju Samson, 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.

Praful Hinge to Sanju Samson, 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.

Praful Hinge to Sanju Samson, 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.

Praful Hinge to Sanju Samson, 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.

Praful Hinge to Sanju Samson, 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 to Ruturaj Gaikwad, 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.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Sanju Samson, 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.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Ruturaj Gaikwad, 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.

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

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

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Sanju Samson, 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.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Sanju Samson, 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 to Sanju Samson, 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.