The iconic yellow vs red clash is here! IPL 2026’s Match 7 — CSK vs PBKS is all set to light up the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday, April 3. With CSK already carrying the burden of a first-match loss and Punjab Kings riding high on a confident win, this one has all the ingredients of a nail-biter.

Here’s your complete CSK vs PBKS Match Preview, Prediction, Teams, and More.

CSK vs PBKS Match Details at a Glance

Detail	Info
Match	CSK vs PBKS, Match 7, IPL 2026
Date & Time	Friday, April 3, 7:30 PM IST
Venue	M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Broadcast	JioStar Network & JioHotstar
Toss Factor	Critical — pitch freshly renovated

Pitch Report & Venue Insight

The M.A. Chidambaram Stadium has hosted 91 IPL matches, with 58 going in favour of teams batting first. The average first innings score has been 164. However, the wickets have been recently renovated, and this is the first IPL match at Chennai post the renovation — making moisture levels the key factor for the toss decision.

This means winning the toss could be decisive tonight. The M.A. Chidambaram Stadium is famously spin-friendly, though the fresh surface adds an element of surprise.

Form Check — How Did Each Team Look in Match 1?

CSK had a rough opener. They failed to put up a big total, while the Riyan Parag-led Rajasthan Royals chased the target with ease. Sanju Samson failed to fire with the bat, while skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ayush Mhatre also departed cheaply.

PBKS, on the other hand, were clinical. They didn’t allow GT batters to get beyond 162 and chased the target with five balls and three wickets to spare. crictracker The Shreyas Iyer-led side looks sharp and in rhythm.

Predicted Playing XIs

CSK: 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

PBKS: 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

Head-to-Head Record

In 33 T20 encounters between CSK and PBKS, Chennai Super Kings lead 17–15 with one tie. Their first-ever meeting was on April 19, 2008, and the most recent clash was on April 30, 2025. It’s one of IPL’s most balanced rivalries — either side can win on any given day.

Match Prediction

PBKS hold the edge tonight — better momentum, a settled batting order, and Marco Jansen in superb form. Jansen’s brilliant spell against GT broke the back of a batting-heavy lineup. crictracker However, CSK at Chepauk is never a pushover.

CricTracker’s prediction: Team batting first to win, with win probability at 50-50 — indicating a genuinely open contest.