Star wicket-keeper batsman Ishan Kishan is not missing out on any opportunity to take a dig at the five-time champions Chennai Super Kings and their fans after Sunrisers Hyderabad’s crucial five-wicket win in IPL 2026 on Monday. The left-hander batsman led his team from the front with his knock of 70 runs on a tricky Chepauk track. He guided SRH in their 181-run chase and helped them seal their spot in the playoffs. Earlier, he had caught attention with a fiery send-off gesture towards the home crowd, and later took the banter on Instagram.
“Only thing louder than the whistles was the bat. Into the playoffs,” Ishan captioned a series of pictures from SRH’s impressive performance.
Ishan Helps SRH Seal Playoff Spot
Ishan smashed seven fours and three sixes during his match-winning knock and joined a vital 75-run partnership for the third wicket with Heinrich Klaasen, who also made a crucial contribution with his brisk 47 off 26 balls. SRH completed the chase with an over to spare.
Ishan, who was dismissed in the 19th over, revealed that his plan was to bat deep, knowing that scoring runs would be difficult on the Chepauk pitch. With 490 runs from 13 innings, he now sits seventh in the Orange Cap standings this season.
“I think, when I was wicket-keeping, I just felt like this wicket is not easy,” Ishan said during the post-match presentation.
“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,” he. added.
SRH’s win has also confirmed GT’s qualification for the playoffs. Now, PBKS, RR, CSK, DC, and KKR are fighting for the one remaining spot in the final four. It will be interesting to see who seals the final spot as the playoff race is close to the finish line.
