Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings host last season’s finalists, Punjab Kings, in Match 7 of IPL 2026 at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium on April 3, 2026.
CSK suffered a heavy defeat against Rajasthan Royals in their opener, getting bowled out for 127 and losing by eight wickets. Ruturaj Gaikwad’s men will look to bounce back at home, where the spin-friendly conditions could work in their favor.
Punjab Kings arrive with confidence after Cooper Connolly’s sensational debut fifty guided them to a three-wicket win over the Gujarat Titans. Shreyas Iyer’s side has won four of their last five meetings against CSK, making this a must-watch clash.
Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings Match Preview
This Group clash marks CSK’s first home fixture of the tournament after their heavy loss to RR in Guwahati. Chennai will next face Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 5 in Bengaluru, while Punjab takes on Kolkata Knight Riders on April 6 in Kolkata.
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | CSK vs PBKS, IPL 2026 7th Match |
| Date | 03 April 2026 |
| Time | 7:30 PM IST / 2:00 PM GMT |
| Venue | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| Series | Indian Premier League 2026 |
| Context | CSK’s first home game, Group stage match |
Pitch Report
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Pitch Type | Slow, dry, spin-friendly |
| Average 1st Innings Score | Around 163-165 in T20S |
| Pace vs Spin | Spin dominates from the middle overs |
| Toss Factor | Bowling first preferred due to pitch behavior |
| Boundary Size | Slightly larger than average (70-75 meters) |
Weather Report
| Condition | Details |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 25-36 degrees C (30-32 degrees C during match) |
| Sky | Partly cloudy |
| Rain Chance | Negligible |
| Humidity | 50-55% |
| Overall | Hot conditions are good for cricket |
Toss Prediction
The captain winning the toss at Chepauk is likely to opt to bowl first. In all four IPL 2026 matches played so far, the winning captain has chosen to field first. The pitch tends to slow down as the match progresses, making batting harder in the second innings. With spinners getting more purchase later, defending totals becomes slightly easier. Both Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shreyas Iyer are expected to bowl first if they win the toss.
Injury Updates
Chennai Super Kings: CSK suffered a heavy defeat in their opener, getting bowled out for just 127 runs against Rajasthan Royals. The chase was completed in just 12 overs with RR losing only two wickets. Sanju Samson, the T20 World Cup 2026 Player of the Tournament, who scored 321 runs at a strike rate of nearly 200, managed just 6 runs on his CSK debut. Ruturaj Gaikwad, who scored 583 runs at an average of 53 in IPL 2025, will look to lead from the front at home. Dewald Brevis remains sidelined with a side strain, weakening CSK’s middle order. MS Dhoni is also unavailable due to a calf injury. Noor Ahmad, Rahul Chahar, and Khaleel Ahmed will lead CSK’s attack on their spin-friendly home track.
Punjab Kings: PBKS started their campaign with a three-wicket win over the Gujarat Titans. Cooper Connolly made an immediate impact on his IPL debut, smashing an unbeaten 72 off 44 balls to guide Punjab home. Prabhsimran Singh contributed 37 off 24 balls in the successful chase of 163. Shreyas Iyer was struck on the hand by a Connolly shot but has been cleared to play with no fracture detected. Vijaykumar Vyshak picked up 3/34 while Yuzvendra Chahal took 2/28. Punjab has no injury concerns heading into this match. Chahal has a dominant record against CSK with 23 wickets in IPL matches at an economy of 7.1.
Dream11 Team For CSK vs PBKS
CSK vs PBKS Head-to-Head Records in IPL
| Category | Stats |
|---|---|
| Total IPL Matches | 32 |
| CSK Wins | 16 |
| PBKS Wins | 16 |
| No Result | 0 |
| At Chepauk | PBKS leads 5-4 |
| Last 5 Meetings | PBKS leads 4-1 |
Suggested Reads:
Top Picks For The Match
| Player | Team | Role | Key Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanju Samson | CSK | WK-Batter | T20 WC 2026 Player of the Tournament, 321 runs at SR 200 |
| Cooper Connolly | PBKS | All-rounder | 72* off 44 on debut, match-winner against GT |
| Shreyas Iyer | PBKS | Batter | Captain, 360 runs at avg 51 in 2025, middle-overs specialist |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | PBKS | Spinner | 23 wickets vs CSK, dismissed Samson 5 times in IPL |
| Arshdeep Singh | PBKS | Bowler | Death-over specialist, 3 wickets vs Gaikwad at SR 114 |
| Shivam Dube | CSK | All-rounder | Power-hitter in middle overs, finisher role |
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