Match 7 of IPL 2026 will witness a blockbuster clash between Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings.
Chennai Super Kings suffered a batting collapse in their opening game and lost to Rajasthan Royals by 9 runs, while Punjab Kings got the better of Gujarat Titans in a nail-biting finish in their IPL 2026 opener.
Everything to know ahead of CSK vs PBKS
Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings lock horns at Chepauk in Match 7 of IPL 2026.
CSK vs PBKS: Preview
CSK began their IPL 2026 campaign with a loss against Rajasthan Royals. Ruturaj Gaikwad’s men lost their way while chasing after becoming 119/4. PBKS on the other hand played out of their skins to chase down Gujarat Titans by just 1 run in their opening game. Shreyas Iyer’s men showed great character and it will be interesting to see how both teams line up ahead of this “Battle of the Kings”.
Predicted Playing XI
Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Ayush Mhatre, Sanju Samson(wk), Shivam Dube, Sarfaraz Khan, Jamie Overton, MS Dhoni, Matthew Short, Rahul Chahar, Spencer Johnson, Akeal Hosein.
Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer(c), Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Azmatullah Omarzai, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Xavier Bartlett.
Match Prediction
As of writing, Google Sports Data is giving PBKS a higher chance of winning this match at 53.5% against CSK’s 46.5%. Chennai Super Kings have a habit of embarrassing strong teams at Chepauk though, so don’t count them out just yet.
Weather Forecast
Thursday is expected to be warm and humid in Chennai. Temperatures will range from a high of 28°C to a humidity of 84%. There’s a very low chance of rain today which means dew will come into play during the second innings and could factor into each captain’s tactics during the toss.
Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Address: Kempegowda Avenue, Chepauk, Chennai
Popularly known as Chepauk, this stadium is one of the oldest cricket grounds in India. The crowd here is among the wisest in the league as far as recognising talent goes. The surface also spins.
- Total Matches: 91
- Bat First Won: 58
- Bowl First Won: 33
- Average First Innings Total: 164
Expect the pitch here to have been recently rejigged, which means a lot less pace and bounce on offer for the pacers in the powerplay, before offering up a dry track towards the back end.
CSK vs PBKS Head to Head
This rivalry has been one of the most even sided IPL contests of all time.
- Total Matches: 33
- CSK Won: 16
- PBKS Won: 16
- No Result/Tied: 1
- CSK Highest Total: 240 | PBKS Highest Total: 231
CSK vs PBKS: Last Five Matches
Punjab Kings have dominated Super Kings in their recent matchups, winning 4 out of the last 5 games against them. That mental edge might be a telling factor ahead of Match 7.
Pitch Report & Weather Forecast at MA Chidambaram Stadium
Pitch Report
Statistically teams who bat first at Chepauk have had the advantage with 58 out of 91 matches won by the team who won the toss. The average first innings score is also 164. However this pitch is likely to have been rejigged recently so captains might want to use the moisture in the initial overs before the spin duo of Noor Ahmad and Yuzvendra Chahal take over.
Weather Forecast
Google Weather is reporting that Friday’s weather in Chennai will be sunny during the day and cloudy in the evening, with a high of 32°C and a low of 27°C.
Weather Report: Match day weather in Chennai is partly sunny with highs of 32°C during the day and lows of 27°C during the night. Conditions will be cloudy by the time the match starts in the evening.
FAQ’s
When and where will CSK play against PBKS?
CSK will play against PBKS at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk) in Chennai on Friday, April 3, 2026. Match Start Time is 7:30 PM IST.
How many times have CSK played against PBKS in IPL?
CSK and PBKS have played 33 matches against each other in IPL. CSK have won 16 matches against PBKS while Punjab Kings have won 16 matches. One match also ended in a No Result/Tie.
Who are the captains for CSK and PBKS in 2026?
Ruturaj Gaikwad will continue to lead Chennai Super Kings in 2026 while Punjab Kings will be led by Shreyas Iyer in IPL 2026.
What kind of pitch is the Chepauk stadium known for?
Ma. Chidambaram Stadium pitch in Chennai usually offers turn for the spinners and is relatively dry. Most teams prefer to bat first at this stadium as out of the 91 matches played there, 58 teams batting first have won the match.
What is the weather forecast for Chennai on April 3?
Temperature is expected to be high around 32°C during day which will come down during night to about 27°C. It will be partly sunny during the day and will turn cloudy during match start. Chance of rain is low.
Who will win CSK vs PBKS?
PBKS are slight favourites to win according to Google Sports win probability. PBKS have a 53.5% chance of winning this game while CSK have a 46.5% chance of winning. Punjab Kings will look to win this game having won 4 of their last 5 meetings against CSK.
Which players should I look out for CSK vs PBKS?
All eyes will be on Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson’s opening partnership for CSK while Punjab Kings fans will be looking at Shashank Singh and Yuzi Chahal’s performance.