Dewald Brevis lit up the MA Chidambaram Stadium with an explosive 44 off just 27 balls, helping Chennai Super Kings recover from a top-order wobble to set Sunrisers Hyderabad a target of 181 in a high-stakes IPL 2026 clash.
Pat Cummins led SRH’s fightback with a superb 3/28, ensuring the hosts couldn’t run away with the game despite a strong start.
CSK won the toss and elected to bat first on a pitch that offered early movement but promised big scores. Openers Sanju Samson (27 off 13) and Ruturaj Gaikwad got them off to a flyer, racing to 57/2 in the Powerplay. However, Cummins struck thrice – dismissing Samson, Kartik Sharma (32 off 19), and Gaikwad – to peg CSK back.
Brevis, the South African sensation, provided the much-needed momentum in the middle overs. His innings, laced with 2 fours and 4 sixes, propelled CSK past 150 before Eshan Malinga cleaned him up. Shivam Dube chipped in with 26, while lower-order cameos from Prashant Veer (11) and Akeal Hosein (3*) took the total to 180/7. SRH’s bowling was disciplined, with Malinga (1/26) and Sakib Hussain (2/34) providing support to Cummins.
With playoff spots on the line, SRH now face a tricky chase under the Chennai lights. Can their explosive top order – featuring Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, and Heinrich Klaasen – hunt down the target, or will CSK’s spin-heavy attack defend the total on a slowing surface?
The match remains finely poised – who’s walking away with the crucial two points?
