Chennai Super Kings will return to their den at Chepauk to host last year's runners-up, Punjab Kings. The five-time champions, after suffering a tough loss in their opening game against the Rajasthan Royals, will look to turn things around quickly.
Meanwhile, PBKS are coming into this clash having won their opening fixture against the Gujarat Titans.
The Super Kings, without the presence of their 'Thala', MS Dhoni, looked to be a shadow of themselves against the Royals. The Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side would have a lot of questions to answer, especially in their bowling department, which failed miserably against RR.
Shreyas Iyer's Punjab hit the ground running in New Chandigarh against the Titans with an all-round performance. Bowlers like Yuzvendra Chahal and Marco Jansen had solid outings, but it was Cooper Connolly who stole the spotlight with his unbeaten knock of 72 runs in the second innings.
CSK vs PBKS, IPL 2026: Match Details
Match | Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings, Match 7 |
Date | Friday, April 3, 2026 |
Time | 7:30 PM IST |
Venue | Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai |
Live Streaming | JioHotstar |
Chepauk Pitch Report
It will be a traditional slow track at the Chidambaram Stadium welcoming the two batting-heavy units. Unlike what has been the trend so far in the tournament, a score around 170 could ideally be enough to result in a win. Both teams will be looking to score above par if given the chance to bat first, thanks to the presence of dew in the second innings. Traditionally, batting first has been the go-to strategy for teams in Chennai. However, batting second might not be a poor choice for two teams.
CSK vs PBKS: Predicted Playing XIs
Chennai Super Kings XI: Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Sanju Samson (WK), Ayush Mhatre, Kartik Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Prashant Veer, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Matt Henry
Impact Player: Anshul Kamboj
Punjab Kings XI: Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (C), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Harpreet Brar
Impact Player: Yuzvendra Chahal
CSK vs PBKS, IPL 2026: Key Player Battles to Watch
Sanju Samson vs Arshdeep Singh: Sanju Samson, leading up to this tournament, had been in fine form and was named the player of the tournament as India lifted the T20 World Cup 2026. Arshdeep Singh will be taking the new ball against Samson, and the left-arm pacer could pose a challenge with the swinging ball.
Dewald Brevis vs Yuzvendra Chahal:Dewald Brevis is one of the strongest players of spin bowling. If the South African goes on to play this clash, his battle against Yuzvendra Chahal could have a massive impact on the game.
Khaleel Ahmed vs Prabhsimran Singh:Coming into this clash, Khaleel Ahmed remained wicketless against the Rajasthan Royals. However, the left-arm pacer could trouble Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya with the new ball.
CSK vs PBKS Match Prediction: Who Will Win?
Punjab Kings are slight favourites coming into this clash. The Shreyas Iyer-led side defeated the Gujarat Titans in the previous game and would be highly likely to carry on with their winning momentum. Boasting a well-rounded team, the visitors would be the stronger of the two teams at the Chidambaram Stadium.
CSK vs PBKS Match Prediction, IPL 2026: Punjab Kings (PBKS)