SRH beat CSK by 10 runs as Eshan Malinga claims three wickets in IPL 2026 Match 27 at Hyderabad

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) defeated Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 10 runs in the 27th match of the Indian Premier League 2026 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Uppal, Hyderabad on 18 April, with Sri Lankan pace bowler Eshan Malinga claiming three wickets to anchor a home bowling performance that held off a competitive Chennai Super Kings chase.

Sunrisers Hyderabad, inserted by Chennai Super Kings after the toss, posted 194 for 9 in their 20 overs. Chennai Super Kings, in reply, managed 184 for 8, unable to overhaul the target despite a powerplay score of 76 for 3 that briefly suggested a close contest. The victory moved Sunrisers Hyderabad to fourth place in the Indian Premier League 2026 standings with three wins from six matches and six points. Chennai Super Kings dropped to seventh place with two wins from six matches and four points.

How did Abhishek Sharma’s blistering 59 off 22 balls set the tempo for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2026 Match 27?

Abhishek Sharma was the centrepiece of the Sunrisers Hyderabad innings, scoring 59 off 22 balls with six fours and four sixes at a strike rate of 268.18. Abhishek Sharma reached his half-century off just 15 balls and constructed one of the most destructive powerplay contributions of the Indian Premier League 2026 season, giving Sunrisers Hyderabad the foundation of a 75-run opening partnership with Travis Head in under six overs.

That platform collapsed dramatically in the sixth over when Travis Head was dismissed for 23 off 20 balls, caught at mid-off by Ruturaj Gaikwad off Mukesh Choudhary, and Ishan Kishan followed for a golden duck off the very next delivery, also caught by Ruturaj Gaikwad at mid-off. The back-to-back dismissals reduced Sunrisers Hyderabad to 75 for 2, and Abhishek Sharma was subsequently removed for 59 in the eighth over after a DRS review by Chennai Super Kings confirmed an edge off Jamie Overton, leaving the hosts at 93 for 3.

Heinrich Klaasen, the Sunrisers Hyderabad wicketkeeper-batter, then anchored the middle-order response with 59 off 39 balls, striking six fours and two sixes at a strike rate of 151.28. Klaasen’s innings spanned the 10th to 17th overs and included his 100th six in Indian Premier League cricket and the 300th six of his overall T20 career. Klaasen was bowled by Anshul Kamboj for 59 in the 17th over.

Nitish Kumar Reddy contributed 12 off 8 balls before being caught at long-on off Jamie Overton. Salil Arora made 13 off 12 and Shivang Kumar hit 12 off 8, but the Sunrisers Hyderabad innings decelerated sharply in the final three overs, losing four wickets for 47 runs. Liam Livingstone, brought in as an impact player substitution for Travis Head, managed only 1 off 5 balls before being caught at deep midwicket off Anshul Kamboj off the final delivery. Praful Hinge remained unbeaten on 0.

For Chennai Super Kings, Jamie Overton finished with 3 for 37 in four overs and Anshul Kamboj with 3 for 22 in three overs. Mukesh Choudhary claimed 2 for 21 in two overs.

How did Eshan Malinga’s three wickets dismantle the Chennai Super Kings middle order and deny them a winning run chase?

Chennai Super Kings began their chase at a ferocious pace. Sanju Samson was dismissed for 7 off 3 balls in the first over, caught by Heinrich Klaasen at extra cover off Nitish Kumar Reddy. Ayush Mhatre, entering as an impact player substitution, struck 30 off 13 balls — five fours and a six at a strike rate of 230.76 — before Heinrich Klaasen produced a reflex catch at extra cover off Nitish Kumar Reddy to end Ayush Mhatre’s innings in the fourth over. The second-wicket partnership of 51 between Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ayush Mhatre gave Chennai Super Kings brief momentum, but Ruturaj Gaikwad was caught behind off Eshan Malinga for 19 off 13 balls in the fifth over, leaving the visitors at 66 for 3 at the end of the powerplay.

Matthew Short and Sarfaraz Khan steadied Chennai Super Kings with a 46-run fourth-wicket stand. Sarfaraz Khan made 25 off 19 before being caught at deep square leg off Eshan Malinga in the 10th over. Dewald Brevis fell for a duck off Shivang Kumar before Matthew Short, who had held the innings together with 34 off 30 balls, was caught by Aniket Verma at deep midwicket off Eshan Malinga in the 16th over — a dismissal that effectively ended Chennai Super Kings’ chase. Shivam Dube was bowled by Sakib Hussain for 21 off 16, and Jamie Overton contributed 16 off 15 before being caught at long-off off Praful Hinge in the 19th over. Anshul Kamboj remained not out on 13 off 8 balls.

Requiring 31 runs from the final three overs with three wickets in hand, Chennai Super Kings could only manage 30 more runs, finishing on 184 for 8. Extras of 18, including 15 wides, showed the cost of Sunrisers Hyderabad’s bowling indiscipline without proving decisive.

Why does Sunrisers Hyderabad’s injury-disrupted bowling rotation still pose a risk to their Indian Premier League 2026 campaign?

Sunrisers Hyderabad’s seam-bowling resources have been heavily disrupted through the 2026 season. Jack Edwards, Brydon Carse, and David Payne have all been ruled out through injury. Gerald Coetzee, the South Africa international, has been confirmed as Payne’s replacement for the remainder of the tournament. The franchise also awaits the return of Australia Test captain Pat Cummins, whose availability in the later rounds is expected to significantly bolster the Sunrisers Hyderabad pace attack ahead of the knockout stages.

In the interim, Eshan Malinga — the Player of the Match at Hyderabad — has emerged as a reliable option, returning 3 for 29 at an economy of 7.25. Nitish Kumar Reddy, a key all-round figure for Sunrisers Hyderabad across the competition, is also undergoing deliberate pace development ahead of the season, with the franchise targeting a sustained bowling speed of around 140 kilometres per hour for Nitish Kumar Reddy through targeted work with pace specialist Steffan Jones.

For Chennai Super Kings, the defeat at Hyderabad deepened an inconsistent run in the 2026 edition. Khaleel Ahmed was ruled out of the match, adding to selection pressure. MS Dhoni, the franchise icon, travelled with the Chennai Super Kings squad to Hyderabad for the first time in the 2026 season but was not available for selection. The franchise now faces an urgent task of improving their record in high-run chases — a structural weakness that has recurred across multiple Indian Premier League 2026 fixtures.

The Indian Premier League 2026 continues, with Punjab Kings leading the standings on nine points, followed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals on eight points each.

Key takeaways from Sunrisers Hyderabad’s 10-run victory over Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026 Match 27 at Hyderabad

• Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Chennai Super Kings by 10 runs in Indian Premier League 2026 Match 27 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Uppal, Hyderabad on 18 April, posting 194 for 9 and restricting Chennai Super Kings to 184 for 8 in 20 overs.
• Abhishek Sharma scored 59 off 22 balls at a strike rate of 268.18, reaching his half-century in 15 balls and providing Sunrisers Hyderabad with a devastating powerplay platform before his dismissal for 59 in the eighth over.
• Heinrich Klaasen anchored the Sunrisers Hyderabad middle order with 59 off 39 balls, completing his 100th Indian Premier League six and his 300th T20 six during the innings before being bowled by Anshul Kamboj for 59 in the 17th over.
• Eshan Malinga was named Player of the Match for his spell of 3 for 29 in four overs, dismissing Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sarfaraz Khan, and Matthew Short at crucial phases of the Chennai Super Kings chase.
• Nitish Kumar Reddy contributed two wickets with the ball and a key lower-order cameo with the bat, reinforcing his value as Sunrisers Hyderabad’s primary all-round option in the ongoing absence of Pat Cummins.
• Chennai Super Kings’ powerplay score of 76 for 3 in six overs was the fifth-highest powerplay total in the franchise’s Indian Premier League history, yet the early loss of Sanju Samson, Ayush Mhatre, and Ruturaj Gaikwad left the middle order exposed across the remaining 14 overs.
• Matthew Short’s 34 off 30 balls was the steadiest contribution in the Chennai Super Kings chase, but his dismissal caught by Aniket Verma at deep midwicket off Eshan Malinga in the 16th over ended any realistic prospect of a successful run chase.
• Chennai Super Kings required 31 runs from the final three overs with three wickets remaining but could only manage 30, extending a recurring pattern of failure in 190-plus chases in the Indian Premier League 2026 season.
• Sunrisers Hyderabad moved to fourth place in the Indian Premier League 2026 standings with three wins from six matches and six points. Chennai Super Kings dropped to seventh with two wins from six matches and four points.
• Sunrisers Hyderabad continue to manage a disrupted overseas seam-bowling rotation, with Jack Edwards, Brydon Carse, and David Payne all ruled out through injury, and Gerald Coetzee confirmed as Payne’s replacement for the remainder of the tournament.

Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Chennai Super Kings, 27th Match, Indian Premier League 2026 scorecard