Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Chennai Super Kings Prediction & Preview – IPL 2026 (18 Apr)

Sunrisers Hyderabad have had a mixed beginning to IPL 2026, winning two of their first five games. Their latest result was a 57-run victory over Rajasthan Royals, built on 216/6 and a 91 off 44 balls from captain Ishan Kishan. Heinrich Klaasen is the side’s top scorer so far with 224 runs, with Kishan next on 213, although openers Abhishek Sharma (129) and Travis Head (120) are still waiting for the fast starts the team is known for.

The bowling has been a talking point. Pat Cummins missed the start of the tournament while recovering from injury, and debutants Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain made the most of the Rajasthan game, finishing with four wickets each. Hinge took three in his first over, including Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for a golden duck. Harsh Dubey and Eshan Malinga lead the wicket tally with five apiece.

Chennai Super Kings lost their first three matches but have since won twice at home, beating Delhi Capitals by 23 runs and then Kolkata Knight Riders. They are still without an away win this season. Sanju Samson has 185 runs, including an unbeaten 115 against Delhi, and 18-year-old Ayush Mhatre has 171 at a strike rate of 171. Anshul Kamboj leads the bowlers with 10 wickets, and Jamie Overton has added 87 runs and five wickets. MS Dhoni and Khaleel Ahmed are both missing through injury.

Probable playing XI

Pitch report

Hyderabad usually offers a balanced surface. Bounce is true and carry is good, and the quick outfield rewards well-timed strokes. Seamers can find a little early movement, but it fades as the innings goes on. The pitch tends to slow in the middle overs, which brings spinners into play, and evening dew can make the ball harder to grip for the side bowling second.

Weather

Expect a warm, mostly clear evening at the 7:30 pm local start, with temperatures of roughly 31–33°C that ease as the night goes on. The chance of rain is very low. Some dew may appear in the second innings, which could help the chasing team.

Expected scores

• 1st innings: 170–185
• 2nd innings: 160–180

About Indian Premier League