IPL 2026: CSK vs PBKS Match Prediction, Toss & Playing XI | Who Will Win Today’s Match 7?
- Published: April 02, 2026
- Updated: April 02, 2026
- By AllCric Team
The MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai is all set to host its first match of IPL 2026, as Chennai Super Kings take on Punjab Kings in Match 7 on Friday, April 3. This will be CSK’s first home game of the season, and they will be desperate to earn their maiden points after a heavy 8-wicket loss to Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati. The Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side had a terrible batting outing in that game — none of their top four batters crossed double digits — and they will need a much better performance at their own fortress.
Punjab Kings, on the other hand, come into this match full of confidence after a thrilling 3-wicket win over Gujarat Titans. Debutant Cooper Connolly was the star of the show with a brilliant unbeaten 72 off 44 balls. PBKS have won 4 of their last 5 matches against CSK, and with the momentum of a win behind them, they go into this game as clear favourites. Both teams will be watching the Chepauk pitch closely — it is one of the most spin-friendly surfaces in the IPL and could play a big role in deciding this contest.
CSK vs PBKS Match Details
Series/Tournament | IPL 2026 |
Match | CSK vs PBKS, 7th Match |
Date | Friday, 3rd April, 2026 |
Match Start Time | 07:30 PM IST |
Stadium/Venue | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai |
CSK vs PBKS Pitch Report – MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
- Pitch Condition: Slow and spin-friendly
- Average 1st Innings Score: 163–164
- Batting Conditions: Good in powerplay, tough in middle overs
- Pace Bowling: Useful with new ball only
- Spin Bowling: Heavily favoured — spinners take wickets consistently
- Competitive Total: 165–175 runs
- Win Batting First: 57%
- Win Chasing: 43%
Teams batting first hold a strong advantage at Chepauk. However, in IPL 2026 so far, every toss-winning captain has chosen to bowl first — so the toss will be a very important factor in this match.
CSK vs PBKS Head-to-Head Record
| Matches | CSK Won | PBKS Won | No Results |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Total: 32 Matches |
17 |
15 |
00 |
|
Last 5 Matches
|
01 |
04 |
00 |
Punjab Kings have completely dominated the recent head-to-head record, winning 4 of the last 5 clashes. The last match between these two teams was in IPL 2025, where PBKS beat CSK by 4 wickets, chasing down 190 in 19.4 overs.
CSK vs PBKS Predicted Playing 11
Chennai Super Kings:
Sanju Samson (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Ayush Mhatre, Matthew Short, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Matt Henry, Anshul Kamboj / Rahul Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed Impact Subs: Sarfaraz Khan, Prashant Veer
Punjab Kings:
Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal Impact Subs: Priyansh Arya, Harpreet Brar, Praveen Dubey, Vishnu Vinod, Suryansh Shedge
Probable Best Performers of the Match
Probable Best Batter: Ruturaj Gaikwad
Ruturaj Gaikwad had a very poor start to IPL 2026, managing only 6 runs off 11 balls against Rajasthan Royals. But as captain and one of CSK’s most experienced batters, he will be desperate to make amends in front of his home crowd. Chepauk is a ground he knows extremely well, and a big knock from him is exactly what CSK need to get their season going.
Probable Best Bowler: Yuzvendra Chahal
Yuzvendra Chahal was brilliant in PBKS’s first match, picking up 2 wickets for just 28 runs against Gujarat Titans. The Chepauk surface is tailor-made for him — slow, dry, and turning sharply in the middle overs. His battle against CSK’s middle-order batters, especially Shivam Dube, will be one of the most exciting contests to watch in this game.
Toss Prediction
- Toss Winner Likely: Either captain
- Decision: Bowl first
- Reason: In all five IPL 2026 matches so far, the toss-winning captain has chosen to bowl first. At Chepauk, dew in the second innings also makes chasing slightly easier in night games. Both captains are almost certain to want to bowl first here.
CSK vs PBKS Today Match Prediction – Who Will Win?
Win Probability:
- CSK: 47%
- PBKS: 53%
Chennai Super Kings are playing at home, which is a big advantage. But their batting completely failed in the first game, and their bowling also looked weak. Punjab Kings, on the other hand, come in with a fresh win, a confident batting lineup, and a strong bowling attack led by Yuzvendra Chahal — who will be dangerous on this Chepauk surface.
PBKS have won 4 of their last 5 games against CSK, and nothing so far suggests that trend will change tonight.
Predicted Winner: Punjab Kings
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❓FAQs
Kolkata Knight Riders are slight favourites at home. Superior head-to-head record, home advantage, and the deadly spin duo of Narine and Chakravarthy give KKR the edge tonight.
Both captains will bowl first. Eden Gardens has won 56 matches by chasing teams and heavy dew from the 15th over makes batting in the second innings significantly easier.
High-scoring batting surface. IPL 2025 average first innings score was 199 runs. Spinners get sharp turn, pacers get early swing. Teams should target 190–200 batting first.
Heinrich Klaasen. He has smashed 319 runs against KKR at a strike rate of 186.50, including an unbeaten 105 off just 39 balls in their last meeting in 2025.
KKR lead convincingly with 20 wins from 30 IPL matches against SRH’s 10. In the last 7 meetings, KKR have won 4 and SRH have won 2.