IPL 2026, Match 7: Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings Match Preview

Published - 02 Apr 2026, 16:19 IST | Updated - 02 Apr 2026, 16:59 IST

Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) face last year's finalists Punjab Kings (PBKS), in match no. 7 of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 on Friday, April 3. This will be the first match held at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai in this season of the cash-rich league.

CSK finished last in IPL 2025 and would have hoped for a strong start this time. However, they were thrashed by the Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati in their opening clash of the season. After dismissing the Men in Yellow for 127 in 19.4 overs, Rajasthan raced to the target in 12.1 overs with eight wickets to spare.

On the other hand, Punjab Kings faced Gujarat Titans in their opening game of the season in Mullanpur. Shreyas Iyer's men restricted the former champions to 162/6 on a tricky surface. In reply, the home side overcame a middle-order collapse to chase the target in 19.1 overs with three wickets to spare.

Punjab have had a phenomenal record against Chennai in the last few seasons. They have won six out of their last seven meetings against CSK. However, expect Chennai to bank on home advantage and come out swinging for the fences on Friday.

Over the years, the pitches provided by the MA Chidambaram Stadium were very favourable for spinners, with batters struggling for timing. However, in recent seasons, there has been a sea change with 200-plus totals becoming more and more common. If the conditions favour the batters, Punjab wouldn't mind, as they have a confident batting lineup. However, if there is spin on offer, fans could witness an intriguing battle between Noor Ahmad and Yuzvendra Chahal.

Sanju Samson (WK), Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Ayush Mhatre, Matthew Short, Kartik Sharma, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Matt Henry, Anshul Kamboj.Impact Player: Sarfaraz Khan

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 Player: Priyansh Arya