SUNRISERS HYDERABAD secured a place in the IPL playoffs with a five-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings on Monday, while Gujarat Titans also confirmed qualification.
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru had already qualified for the playoffs.
The result at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium leaves five teams fighting for the remaining play-off spot in the T20 tournament, which ends with the final on May 31 in Ahmedabad.
Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins returned figures of 3-28 to help restrict Chennai to 180-7 in their final home game of the season.
Hyderabad were reduced to 56-2 in the chase before Ishan Kishan made 70 and Heinrich Klaasen scored 47 in a 75-run partnership that helped the visitors reach the target with six balls remaining.
“Really satisfying,” said Cummins. “It was a bit different to how we'd normally play. It was a pretty tough wicket there to bat.
“I thought the way the guys, Klassy and Ishan, chased it down, it was really gutsy, so very happy.”
Chennai spinner Noor Ahmad stopped Klaasen from reaching his fifty, and Hyderabad also lost Nitish Kumar Reddy during the chase.
Kishan hit seven fours and three sixes in his 47-ball innings before Ravichandran Smaran struck the winning boundary.
Five-time champions Chennai now face an uncertain situation in the race for the play-offs.
“We lost a couple of games at home, but I think, compared to last year, we were still much better this year,” said Chennai captain Ruturaj Gaikwad.
“And definitely coming here next year we will be a much stronger unit.”
Cummins gave Hyderabad an early breakthrough when he had Sanju Samson caught behind for 27.
The Australia fast bowler then dismissed Gaikwad for 15 and Kartik Sharma for 32 as Chennai kept losing wickets.
Dewald Brevis scored 44 off 27 balls and added 59 runs with Shivam Dube to lift Chennai’s hopes of reaching a total above 200.
But Sri Lanka’s Eshan Malinga bowled Brevis, and Sakib Hussain dismissed left-handed batter Dube to slow Chennai’s progress.
In reply, Hyderabad lost openers Travis Head for six and Abhishek Sharma for 26 before Kishan and Klaasen rebuilt the innings.
The pair put Hyderabad back in control of the chase and, despite losing wickets late on, the team completed the win to move into the next stage of the tournament.
