NEW DELHI: Ishan Kishan revealed that an emotional family tragedy motivated his match-winning knock as Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) secured their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 playoff berth with a five-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Monday.
Kishan's composed 70 off 47 balls anchored SRH's chase of 181. After the game, the left-handed batsman said the innings held far greater significance than just qualification. His cousin, dealing with a recent family bereavement, was in the stands watching, and Kishan said that became his driving force.
"Sometimes I feel it is also about motivation, and for me, my motivation today was my cousin, who 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," Kishan said. "So I just wanted to finish the game for them. I am glad they were here to witness this innings, and I was able to finish this game."
An Innings Built on Patience
Kishan noted that the challenge at Chepauk became evident even while he was wicketkeeping, as the surface offered grip and variable bounce, making the chase tricky. "When I was wicketkeeping, I felt this wicket was not easy. I still felt chasing this total was going to be a bit too much because the wicket was not at all easy, especially when spinners were bowling and those slow balls were working very well," he explained.
Batting at No. 3, Kishan understood his role was to stay till the end. "My job was to just try and finish the game because batters coming in, especially at the back end, find it difficult to take singles and score boundaries. So I had to play till the last over."
His 75-run partnership with Heinrich Klaasen turned the chase around. However, Kishan said there was no grand tactical discussion between them. "There was no conversation to be had. We both were just playing our shots."
'I Had That Sense of Power'
What stayed with Kishan throughout was a feeling he could not fully explain. "I was just feeling blessed from upstairs. I had that sense of power, like, yes, I can do it if I am there for the team. We will qualify, and especially, he will be happy about it."
SRH captain Pat Cummins praised Kishan and Klaasen for reading the conditions perfectly, calling the pitch "pretty tough" and saying the duo "chose their match-ups and played some ridiculous shots."
The win not only kept SRH's momentum alive but also secured qualification alongside Gujarat Titans. For Kishan, however, the night at Chepauk was deeply personal — a knock for family, grief, and healing, wrapped inside one of SRH's most important wins of the season.
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