Delhi: Delhi Capitals (DC) take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 48th match of the IPL 2026 season on 5th May at 7:30 PM at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi. The rematch is marked as a must-win game, with both sides desperately wanting to stay consistent in the mid-table battle and keep their playoff hopes alive in this crucial clash.
DC return to their home ground after breaking a streak of three consecutive losses with a remarkable and successful chase of 226 against RR. DC currently hold the 7th position on the table with 8 points. In their last two home matches, they faced major setbacks, and now they will once again look to deliver a strong performance at this venue. Their batting order, led by KL Rahul in incredible form and supported by Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana, Tristan Stubbs, and others, appears solid and well-balanced. Their bowling attack also receives a major boost with the return of Mitchell Starc in the playing XI.
On the other side, CSK enter this clash after a clinical and composed victory over MI. They are currently placed 6th on the table with 8 points. Sanju Samson is in excellent form, having registered two centuries this season. Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has also returned to form after a slight dip in performance, while in the last match, Kartik Sharma and Ruturaj finished the chase calmly and effectively. In bowling, Anshul Kamboj and Noor Ahmad have been in excellent rhythm.
In the previous encounter between these two teams, CSK won by 23 runs, powered by Sanju Samson’s century and a disciplined bowling performance at their home ground, Chepauk, Chennai, earlier this season on 11 April.
Another most anticipated question is the availability of MS Dhoni. Dhoni has not played any match this season due to a calf injury, and this question resurfaced ahead of the clash when Chennai Super Kings bowling coach Eric Simons addressed the media. Simons said, “Update on MS Dhoni is way above my pay grade. He’s not with us in Delhi, but he is steadily improving. He’ll be ready when he’s ready, and he knows when he’s ready to play.” Hence, there are high chances that he will not feature today, although there is no official confirmation about his availability.
In IPL history, CSK and DC have faced each other 32 times, where DC have won 12 matches and CSK have won 20, holding a slight edge over DC.
CSK Squad:
Ruturaj Gaikwad, MS Dhoni, Sanju Samson, Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre, Kartik Sharma, Sarfaraz Khan, Urvil Patel, Jamie Overton, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Prashant Veer, Matthew Short, Aman Khan, Zak Foulkes, Shivam Dube, Khaleel Ahmed, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary, Shreyas Gopal, Gurjapneet Singh, Akeal Hosein, Matt Henry, Rahul Chahar, Spencer Johnson.
CSK Playing XI:
Sanju Samson (w), Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Urvil Patel, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Sarfaraz Khan, Prashant Veer, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary. Impact Sub: Kartik Sharma
DC Squad:
KL Rahul, Karun Nair, David Miller, Ben Duckett, Pathum Nissanka, Sahil Parakh, Prithvi Shaw, Abishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Ajay Mandal, Tripurana Vijay, Madhav Tiwari, Nitish Rana, Mitchell Starc, T. Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar, Dushmantha Chameera, Auqib Nabi, Lungi Ngidi, Kyle Jamieson, Kuldeep Yadav.
DC Playing XI:
KL Rahul (w), Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel (c), Ashutosh Sharma, Kyle Jamieson, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan. Impact Sub: David Miller
The weather in Delhi is expected to be favorable for a full game. During match time in the evening, temperatures are likely to range between 23°C and 30°C with mostly clear skies and a gentle breeze. Humidity will be moderate at around 60%, but the key point is that the chance of rain is extremely low, so interruptions are very unlikely. Although there were earlier indications of light rain or thunderstorms in parts of Delhi during the day, conditions are expected to settle by evening. Overall, the weather should support uninterrupted play. The pitch at the Arun Jaitley Stadium is expected to be batting-friendly for today’s IPL clash between DC and CSK. It usually offers a flat surface with good bounce and short boundaries, allowing batters to play freely, especially in the first innings. As the match progresses, the pitch may slow down slightly, bringing spinners into play and making stroke-making a bit more challenging. However, with dry conditions, there will be little assistance for seamers. Overall, it is likely to be a high-scoring surface, where teams may prefer chasing due to possible dew in the second innings. Overall, it promises to be a highly interesting clash, with both teams fighting hard in a crucial match to stay alive in the playoff race. DC will look to take revenge against CSK, while CSK aim to continue their momentum.
