Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], May 19 : Chennai's final home game of IPL 2026 turned emotional for fans as MS Dhoni made a brief appearance at Chepauk after missing the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad due to fitness concerns.
CSK suffered a five-wicket defeat against SRH, a result that pushed Hyderabad into the playoffs and left Chennai's own campaign in trouble. While the match slipped away from the home side after strong performances from Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen, the atmosphere at Chepauk remained emotional even after the game ended.
A CSK home game without Dhoni in the playing XI already felt unusual for fans this season. However, during the innings break, the crowd erupted when Dhoni walked onto the field with the squad for the team photograph. Though it was part of CSK's usual final home game tradition, the moment became one of the biggest highlights of the night as fans cheered loudly for their former captain.
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Former CSK star Suresh Raina also shared pictures on Instagram from the stadium. The photos showed Dhoni and Raina sharing hugs and laughs, leaving fans nostalgic about their long association with the Chennai Super Kings.
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Coming to the match, CSK posted 180/7 after being put in to bat, with a brisk start from Sanju Samson and contributions from Dewald Brevis and Shivam Dube, but regular strikes from SRH bowlers, led by captain Pat Cummins, restricted them from finishing strongly.
In reply, SRH maintained control through partnerships despite losing wickets at intervals, with Ishan Kishan top-scoring with a fluent 70, while Klaasen's quick 47 kept the momentum in the middle overs. The chase was completed comfortably as SRH crossed the finish line with an over to spare.
The result also confirmed SRH's qualification for the playoffs alongside the Gujarat Titans, making them the second and third teams after the Royal Challengers Bengaluru to secure a spot in the knockout stage.
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