Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will play against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the 5th match of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. The Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side will play their first home match of the tournament on Friday, April 3 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
CSK lost their first match against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Guwahati. MS Dhoni and Dewald Brevis could not play the last match due to their respective injuries. Meanwhile, PBKS won the match going down to the last over during the run chase against Gujarat Titans (GT).
IPL 2026: CSK vs PBKS Match Details
match: Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings, 7th Match
date: 3 April 2026
Time: 7:30 pm local
venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
live streaming: jiohotstar
Live broadcast: star sports network
IPL 2026: CSK vs PBKS pitch and weather report
The pitch of MA Chidambaram Stadium helps spin bowlers. Chennai lost five of its six home matches during the 2025 season. Last year the average score of the first innings was 164 runs.
The weather of Chennai feels very hot and humid in the evening. The temperature will be around 28 degrees Celsius in the evening. Heavy dew may occur later, making it very difficult for spin bowlers to grip the cricket ball properly.
IPL 2026: CSK vs PBKS head-to-head record
Punjab Kings’ recent record against Chennai Super Kings has been strong. In their last five IPL meetings, PBKS have won four matches, while CSK has managed just one win.
Overall, both the teams are tied and have 16 wins each from 32 matches. However, Punjab Kings have the upper hand in their recent performance against Chennai Super Kings.
IPL 2026: CSK vs PBKS Probable Playing XI and Impact Players
Playing XI of Chennai Super Kings: Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Ayush Mhatre, Matthew Short, Shivam Dubey, Karthik Sharma, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmed, Matt Henry, Rahul Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed.
Impact Player: Sarfaraz Khan
Playing XI of Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh (wicketkeeper), Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Johnson, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.
Impact Player: Harpreet Brar
IPL 2026: CSK vs PBKS form and fitness updates
Thanks to a stellar performance from Cooper Connolly, Punjab Kings defeated Gujarat Titans in their opening match. Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings suffered a crushing defeat against Rajasthan Royals and could only score 127 runs.
Dewald Brevis is injured with a side strain, which has weakened CSK’s middle-order batting. MS Dhoni is also not available for selection due to a calf injury. Meanwhile, Punjab Kings have no injury concerns in their camp.
IPL 2026: CSK vs PBKS Toss Prediction
Winning the toss is important during night matches in Chennai. In all four matches played so far in IPL 2026, the winning captain has chosen to bowl first. With the dew factor, Ruturaj Gaikwad or Shreyas Iyer will likely opt to bowl first and chase.
IPL 2026: CSK vs PBKS Score Prediction
If Punjab Kings bat first, they can get close to 180 runs in total. If Chennai Super Kings bat first, their struggling batting unit can reach around 160 runs against Yuzvendra Chahal. The MA Chidambaram Stadium pitch generally restricts very big scores due to its support for spin bowling.
IPL 2026: CSK vs PBKS key players to watch
Chennai Super Kings: Sanju Samson, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dubey, Noor Ahmed
Punjab Kings: Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh
IPL 2026: CSK vs PBKS Best Batsman Prediction
Who will score the most runs for Chennai Super Kings? Sanju Samson or Ruturaj Gaikwad
Who will score the most runs for Punjab Kings? Cooper Connolly or Shreyas Iyer
IPL 2026: CSK vs PBKS Best Bowler Prediction
Who will take the most wickets for Chennai Super Kings? Noor Ahmed or Khalil Ahmed
Who will take the most wickets for Punjab Kings? Yuzvendra Chahal or Arshdeep Singh
IPL 2026: CSK vs PBKS Match Prediction: Who will win Match 7?
Punjab Kings will enter the competition as favorites with strong form and a balanced squad. Chennai Super Kings will look weak after their heavy defeat and persistent injury concerns. PBKS is likely to defeat CSK in the match.
IPL 2026: CSK vs PBKS chances to win
Punjab Kings have about 60 percent chances of winning due to better pace and spin strength. Chennai Super Kings have a 40 per cent chance as they are struggling with batting form and missing key players like Dewald Brevis.
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