Chennai Super Kings struggles at home continued as Punjab Kings defeated them by five wickets at Chepauk in IPL 2026.
This was CSK’s sixth consecutive loss at home, putting them in serious trouble this season.
Batting first, CSK once again had a slow start. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson couldn’t get going in the powerplay, which put pressure on the middle order.
The innings was then steadied by 18 year old Ayush Mhatre, who played a strong knock of 73 runs off 43 balls. After his dismissal, Shivam Dube (45) and Sarfaraz Khan (32) added quick runs to take CSK to 209.
Even though they crossed 200, the slow scoring in the powerplay and middle overs meant they were probably 15-20 runs short.
For Punjab, Vijaykumar Vyshak picked up two wickets, while Yuzvendra Chahal bowled a tight spell.
Chasing 210, Punjab Kings came out attacking from the start. Priyansh Arya changed the game in just a few overs, smashing 39 runs off 11 balls.
His knock helped Punjab reach 50 in just 3.2 overs the fastest team fifty against CSK.
Prabhsimran Singh (43) and Cooper Connolly (36) kept the chase on track. Captain Shreyas Iyer then played a crucial innings, scoring 50 off 29 balls to guide the team.
Though he got out near the end, Shashank Singh and Marcus Stoinis finished the job comfortably.
Punjab Kings registered their second win of the season, while CSK are still searching for their first victory.
For CSK, the concern is not just the losses, but the pattern. Slow starts, lack of intent with the ball, and no clear backup plans are hurting them again and again.
