IPL 2026: Match 7, CSK vs PBKS Match Prediction – Who will win today’s IPL match between CSK vs PBKS?

In the battle of the kings, Match No. 7 of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 will witness Chennai Super Kings (CSK) take on Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk, Chennai, on Friday, April 03. 

Chennai Super Kings had to be on the losing side in their season opener against Rajasthan Royals, where they failed to put up a big total on the board, while the Riyan Parag-led side chased the target with utmost ease. Sanju Samson failed to fire with the bat for CSK in this clash, while skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ayush Mhatre also departed cheaply. They would hope for a better batting performance today.

Punjab Kings, on the other hand, were brilliant in their opener against Gujarat Titans. They did not allow GT batters to get beyond 162 in the first innings and later chased the target with five balls and three wickets to spare. The Shreyas Iyer-led side would once again rely on its dominant attack to gain their second straight win of the season.

CSK vs PBKS Match Details

M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai: Pitch Report

The M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk, Chennai, one of the most historic cricketing landmarks in India. The iconic venue has hosted 91 IPL matches thus far, with 58 of those going in favour of the teams batting first. The average first inning’s score at the ground has been 164 over the years. However, the wickets have been rejigged recently, and this is the first time that an IPL match will be played in Chennai after the renovation. As a result, it will depend largely upon the moisture of the surface to help the teams decide their choice after winning the toss on Friday.

CSK vs PBKS: Head-to-Head T20 Record

CSK vs PBKS: Predicted Playing XIs

Chennai Super Kings

Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Sanju Samson (WK), Ayush Mhatre, Matthew Short, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Matt Henry, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed

Impact Player: Sarfaraz Khan/Prashant Veer

Punjab Kings

Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (C), Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh

Impact Player: Yuzvendra Chahal/Yash Thakur

CSK vs PBKS: Probable Best Performers of the Match

Probable Best Batter: Ruturaj Gaikwad

The CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad did not look in the best of rhythms in the previous encounter. However, the kind of skills and temperament that he has are enough to dismantle any opposition on his day. The opening batter isn’t someone who tries to innovate and overthink a lot about his batting but pierces the gaps nicely to find boundaries through risk-free cricket.

Probable Best Bowler: Marco Jansen

Marco Jansen bowled a brilliant spell against Gujarat Titans, which broke the back of their batting-heavy attack. The pressure created by Jansen resulted in PBKS being able to put a stem on the runs, while also taking important wickets, which settled the innings for a relatively lower total. The tall and lanky pacer is expected to continue his form from the previous spell.

Today’s Match Prediction: Team batting first to win the match