Chennai, May 19 (IANS) Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain Pat Cummins credited Ishan Kishan for playing a mature and match-winning innings after SRH defeated Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by five wickets to qualify for the IPL 2026 playoffs at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Monday.

Chasing 181 runs, Sunrisers Hyderabad completed the chase in 19 overs with Kishan anchoring the innings brilliantly with 70 runs off 47 balls. Heinrich Klaasen also played a crucial knock of 47 as SRH secured an important win and booked their place in the playoffs alongside the Gujarat Titans.

Speaking after the match, Cummins said the conditions at Chepauk were challenging and praised his batters for adjusting well to the surface. “Really satisfying. It’s a bit different from how we normally play. Very happy. That partnership, it was really tough, we thought you need one or two really good partnerships,” Cummins said after the victory.

SRH are generally known for their aggressive batting approach, but Cummins admitted the team had to show patience on a pitch where the ball was not coming onto the bat easily. “We are not famous for responsible batting. But yeah, when we were bowling, the ball was keeping low and not quite coming on. It was about par. They play here and know the wicket a lot better,” he added.

After losing Travis Head early in the chase, Kishan and Abhishek Sharma rebuilt the innings before the left-hander stitched another important stand with Klaasen. Kishan rotated the strike smartly and attacked whenever needed to keep SRH in control throughout the chase.

Cummins especially praised Kishan for stepping up and guiding the innings under pressure. “Winning today was what mattered. You can’t give yourselves a better chance than what we have. Ishan deserves all the credit for leading the side for the first half,” Cummins said.

The SRH skipper also said there were still areas his side could improve despite the important win. “There are a few areas we can improve, but overall, we are happy,” he added.

Meanwhile, after this win, SRH are placed at third in the points table with 16 points in 13 matches. They will next face defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on May 22 at their home ground, Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad.

–IANS

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