IPL Dispatch: Dhoni Mania Grips Chepauk In CSK's Last Home Game; Kishan Cites 'Blessing From Upstairs'

And then there were five. With one result on Monday (May 18, 2026), two more playoff spots have been decided. Five teams now remain in contention for the fourth and final berth in the next stage of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.

ALSO READ: CSK Vs SRH Highlights

When Chennai Super Kings (CSK) posted a 180-run total at Chepauk, they would have fancied their chances, considering the sluggish nature of the surface and the way some deliveries were gripping after pitching. Their belief would have been strengthened with the proceedings in the first 10 overs of SunRisers Hyderabad's (SRH) chase.

The dangerous 'Travishek' (openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma) were back in the dugout and Ishan Kishan was struggling to time the ball. The asking rate had risen to 10.6 and with Akeal Hosein and Noor Ahmad doing the all-too-familiar strangle job in Chennai, the visitors seemed to be in a pickle.

But that is when Heinrich Klaasen really got into his spin-hitting zone, and Kishan started finding the gaps as well. A crucial 75-run partnership ensued and despite Klaasen's dismissal, the SunRisers romped home thanks to the southpaw's responsible 70-run knock.

Hyderabad reached the 16-point mark, which was enough to seal their playoff berth alongside that of Gujarat Titans. As for CSK, they stood on the verge of a league-phase exit.

Dhoni, One Last Time At Anbuden?

For the first time in IPL 2026, franchise legend and crowd heartthrob MS Dhoni arrived at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on a Super Kings gameday, despite not being in the playing XI due to a calf strain. The occasion warranted it: this was the last home game of the season for CSK. With no playoff match in Chennai and Dhoni's future increasingly unclear, speculation regarding his possible retirement reached fever pitch.

As is his wont, though, the 44-year-old left people guessing and did not make the announcement when he was expected to. Instead, he briefly took the field for the team photograph during the innings break, and later joined his teammates in a lap of honour to thank the fans for their continued support.

Photo Of The Day

Amid Dhoni's extended absence, Sanju Samson has been shining with the bat as well as gloves to offer a silver lining to the die-hard devotees of 'Thala'. For the second time in the ongoing IPL edition, Samson produced a stumping that elicited comparisons with Dhoni.

The wicketkeeper-opener foxed SRH mainstay Heinrich Klaasen with his smart glovework. In the 15th over, Noor Ahmad deceived Klaasen in the air with one that turned away. Samson saw an opportunity with the South African batter off balance and whipped off the bails in a flash. Klaasen's foot was momentarily in the air and the Kerala 'keeper immediately knew he had his man.

Samson had earlier exhibited similar brilliance when he stumped Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill during match 37 on April 26 in Chennai. The bowler then too was Noor Ahmad, and on both occasions, Samson did not waste any time with the backward motion of the gloves with the ball's momentum, just like Dhoni.

Coming Up On Tuesday...

From Chennai, the IPL caravan moves all the way to Jaipur for its 64th game, between Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). The Royals, placed fifth, need to win both their remaining matches to make the playoff cut and that endeavour starts against the knocked-out Lucknow.

But it might not be easy for Riyan Parag and Co at the high-scoring Sawai Mansingh Stadium, where the Royals are yet to win a game this season. LSG, on the other hand, come into the game on the back of a rare win in the tournament. They beat CSK at home on May 15 and would be looking to play party-poopers in their remaining two games (last one against Punjab Kings).

IPL 2026 Points Table After Match 63

Quote Of The Day

After essaying a match-winning 70-run knock for SRH, Kishan said he was "blessed from the upstairs" as the family of his bereaved cousin who lost his sister recently watched him play in Chennai. "I would just say one thing. Sometimes I feel it's also about motivation, and for me, my motivation was today, my cousin is just standing there. He lost his sister.

"It was a tough time in our family and they are watching the match for the first time here. So I just wanted to finish the game for them," Kishan said at the post-match presentation.

"I'm glad they were here to witness this innings, and I was able to finish this game. I was just feeling blessed from upstairs. I had that sense of power, like, yes, I can do it if I'm there for the team. We will qualify, especially. He'll be happy about it."

Elsewhere...

In Sylhet, Mushfiqur Rahim hit a record-breaking hundred as Bangladesh set Pakistan a daunting 437 runs for victory in the second Test. Rahim struck a superb 137 off 233, smashing 12 fours and one six to help the hosts post 390 in their second innings. Litton Das followed his first-innings 126 with an elegant 69. Mushfiqur’s 14th century saw him surpass Mominul Haque to become his country’s most prolific test centurion.

The task Pakistan face is enormous: no other team in Test cricket history has ever won a match chasing more than 418 runs. They batted two overs on Day 3 without scoring a run before bad light forced an early stumps.

Back in India, the Central Information Commission (CIC) held that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is not a public authority under the Right to Information Act, thus it is not liable to answer any queries under the transparency law.

The CIC overturned its own 2018 order, which held BCCI to be a public authority and directed its then president, secretary and committee of administrators to designate central public information officers, assistant public information officers and first appellate authorities under the RTI Act.