CSK vs PBKS, IPL 2026, Match Prediction: Who will win today’s game between Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings?

The stage is set for a high-stakes encounter at the “Lion’s Den” as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) host Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the 7th match of IPL 2026. This is CSK’s first home game of the season, and after a shaky start against the Rajasthan Royals, Ruturaj Gaikwad’s men will be desperate to find their rhythm at Chepauk.

CSK comes into this game following a disappointing loss to RR, where their batting collapsed, leaving Jamie Overton to play a lone hand of 43. The biggest concern remains the fitness of MS Dhoni, who is nursing a calf strain and might only feature as a mentor in the dugout. Captain Gaikwad and Sanju Samson need to provide a solid platform, as the middle order looked fragile in the opener. The spin duo of Noor Ahmad and Shreyas Gopal will be vital on a surface that historically aids turn.

PBKS, led by Shreyas Iyer, started their campaign with a hard-fought win against Gujarat Titans. Debutant Cooper Connolly was the hero with an unbeaten 72, showing that the Punjab scouting team has struck gold again. With a lethal bowling attack featuring Arshdeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal, Punjab looks balanced and ready to spoil the party in Chennai.

CSK vs PBKS, IPL 2026: Match details

Date and Time: April 03; 7:30 pm IST / 2 pm GMT
Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai

CSK vs PBKS, Head-to-Head Record in IPL

Matches played: 32 | CSK won: 16 | PBKS won: 16 | No result/Tied: 0

MA Chidambaram Stadium Pitch Report

Typically known as a “spinner’s paradise,” the Chepauk pitch for this early-season fixture is expected to be a good batting wicket initially. The ball is likely to come onto the bat well in the first innings. However, as the game progresses, the surface tends to slow down, offering significant grip and turn for the spinners. Teams winning the toss often prefer to bat first to avoid the sluggish nature of the pitch in the second half, though dew remains a persistent late-evening variable in Chennai.

Squads:

Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Ayush Mhatre, Sarfaraz Khan, Sanju Samson, Urvil Patel, Kartik Sharma, Shivam Dube, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Shreyas Gopal, Aman Khan, Prashant Veer, Rahul Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed, Gurjapneet Singh, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary, Jamie Overton*, Dewald Brevis*, Matt Short*, Spencer Johnson*, Zak Foulkes*, Matt Henry*, Noor Ahmad*, Akeal Hosein*, MS Dhoni

Punjab Kings: Shreyas Iyer (c), Harnoor Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Priyansh Arya, Pyla Avinash, Prabhsimran Singh, Vishnu Vinod, Harpreet Brar, Musheer Khan, Shashank Singh, Suryansh Shedge, Praveen Dubey, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Vishal Nishad, Yash Thakur, Azmatullah Omarzai*, Ben Dwarshuis*, Cooper Connolly*, Marcus Stoinis*, Mitchell Owen*, Xavier Bartlett*, Marco Jansen*, Lockie Ferguson*

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