A fun family moment shared by Punjab Kings has gone viral ahead of the Indian Premier League 2026 season. The franchise posted a video on its official social media page featuring brothers Sarfaraz Khan and Musheer Khan asking their father a simple but tricky question — which team will he support when their sides face each other.

In the video, Sarfaraz requests his father to back Chennai Super Kings, while Musheer wants him to cheer for Punjab Kings. The light-hearted exchange quickly caught the attention of fans online, as the two brothers tried to convince their father to pick their team before the IPL clash.

Their father, however, admitted that the decision is not easy. With both his sons playing for different teams, he said he feels proud of them and cannot choose only one side. He also said he will support the science. The funny moment has now become a talking point among fans ahead of the PBKS vs CSK encounter in IPL 2026.

Watch the viral moment here:

Abbu nahi manenge #IYKYK 😂 pic.twitter.com/wIJ7RxwlFs

— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) March 16, 2026

Also read: Star Indian opener set to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad amid Pat Cummins injury absence in Indian Premier League 2026

Sarfaraz and Musheer look to make their mark in IPL 2026

Sarfaraz Khan has received a golden opportunity to work his way back into the Indian team through the Indian Premier League 2026 season. The Mumbai batter was picked by Chennai Super Kings for ₹75 lakh after going unsold in the previous two IPL auctions. Sarfaraz had earlier made his way into India’s Test team in 2024, but he played only three series before falling out of favour with the selectors. Since then, he has returned to domestic cricket and continued to score runs consistently. The IPL now offers him a strong platform to prove his form once again and push for a comeback to the national side.

Meanwhile, Musheer Khan could play an important role for Punjab Kings after being retained by the franchise. The young left-handed batter from Mumbai has impressed many with his calm mindset and solid batting technique in domestic cricket. Musheer is known for building his innings patiently and handling pressure well at a young age. His performances in the domestic circuit suggest that he has the ability to make a strong impact if given chances in IPL 2026. The upcoming season could therefore be an important step in the careers of both Khan brothers.

Naushad Khan’s sacrifice behind Sarfaraz’s journey

Sarfaraz Khan reaching the Indian Test team was not an easy journey. A big part of his success came from the hard work and support of his father, Naushad Khan. For more than 25 years, Naushad trained and guided his son, often starting practice sessions in their small apartment in Mumbai. Naushad once dreamed of becoming a cricketer himself, but when that did not work out, he decided to focus on coaching young players. Despite financial struggles, he worked several jobs to support his family and continued coaching with dedication. His efforts helped shape Sarfaraz’s career and also guided other players such as Iqbal Abdulla, who later played for India at the Under-19 level.

Can Sarfaraz find a place in CSK’s playing XI?

Sarfaraz now has a new opportunity to prove himself in the Indian Premier League 2026 after joining Chennai Super Kings. Over the past year, he showed good form in domestic white-ball cricket. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025, he scored 329 runs from seven matches at an average of 65.80, including one century and three half-centuries. He continued his form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025, where he scored 303 runs from six matches at an average of 75.75. However, Sarfaraz also faced several injuries during red-ball tournaments, including an elbow injury in 2024, a quadriceps problem in 2025, bone swelling in January 2026 and a viral fever in February 2026. Now fully fit, he has joined the CSK camp and hopes to make an impact.

Even with good form, getting into CSK’s playing XI may not be easy. The team already has strong options in the top order with players like Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson, Dewald Brevis and Shivam Dube likely to take key spots. In the lower order, the presence of experienced players such as MS Dhoni and other squad members also makes competition tough. Because of this, Sarfaraz might have to wait for his chance unless the team decides to rotate players or test their bench strength during the season. So far, he has played 50 IPL matches and scored 585 runs at an average of 22.50. IPL 2026 could therefore become an important season for him to rebuild his reputation in the tournament.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 will bring another exciting season of cricket. One of the early matches fans are waiting for is between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Punjab Kings (PBKS). The match will be played on 3rd April, 2026, at 7:30 PM at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. With CSK’s passionate home crowd and PBKS’s competitive squad, the game is expected to attract a large number of fans.

The last time these two teams played against each other, PBKS, led by Shreyas Iyer, defeated CSK. In that match, MS Dhoni was the captain of CSK. PBKS won the match by 4 wickets in Chennai. So far, both teams have played 32 matches, and each team has won 16 matches.

Fans who want to watch the match live from the stadium should know how to book tickets online. This article explains the basic match details and how fans can safely book CSK vs PBKS IPL 2026 tickets online.

Also read -KKR vs SRH IPL 2026 Tickets: Price, Booking Date & How to Book Full Step-by-Step Guide

CSK vs PBKS Predicted Playing XI 

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Probable XI: 

Sanju Samson, Ayush Mhatre, Ruturaj Gaikwad (Captain), Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Prashant Veer, MS Dhoni (wicketkeeper), Matt Henry, Nathan Ellis, Noor Ahmad.

Impact Player- Khaleel Ahmed

Punjab Kings (PBKS) Probable XI: 

Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wicketkeeper), Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Marcus Stoinis, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Cooper Connolly, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal

Impact Player -Vyshak Vijaykumar

CSK vs PBKS Ticket Prices by Stands 

How to Book CSK vs PBKS IPL 2026 Tickets: Step-by-Step Guide

• The tickets for the CSK vs PBKS match are expected to go live around five days before the start of the game.
• For the fans to buy tickets at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, they will need to go to the Book My Show platform, the official website of CSK (chennaisuperkings.com),  the Zomato District App or the official IPL website.
• In the second phase, they need to select the match and choose the stand they want to sit in. The prices of the stands may vary based on the high-profile games, play-offs, and other occasions.
• After selecting the stands, the fan will need to fill in the contact details and ticket information.
• In the final step, they will need to complete the payment via UPI, debit card, credit card, or Net Banking.
• After the successful completion of the payment, the fan will get the digital ticket with the QR code via email and SMS, as they need to scan it at the stadium.

IPL 2026 will start from March 28. Royal Challengers Bengaluru will lock horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad for the opening match of the season, while the runners-up of the IPL 2025, Punjab Kings (PBKS), will began there IPL 2026 campaign on March 31. For their first match, PBKS will square off with Gujarat Titans (PBKS vs GT) at their home ground, Maharaja Yadavindra Singh PCA Stadium, at 7.30 PM.

Like the previous season, PBKS will be captained by Shreyas Iyer, under whose leadership, the team went on to play the final match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Only by a few margins, they ended as the second-place holder of the team. 

In the upcoming season, cricket fans will hope to see some more exciting cricket from the PBKS players again. With massive expectations, viewers will visit the venue to see the PBKS home matches live. But what is the ticket booking process? You have to know it first. 

Read More: DC IPL 2026 Tickets: How and Where to Buy Delhi Capitals 1st Phase Home Match Tickets?

How and Where to Buy Punjab Kings 1st Phase Home Match Tickets? Let's find out:

• Cricket fans who want to visit the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh PCA Stadium to see the first home match of the Punjab Kings first need to visit the official website of BookMyShow. 

• For the second step, you will have to select the team name, date, and the match you want to see. 

• Now, you will have to select the ticket category and the number of tickets you want to buy. The ticket price will be based on the stands. The most affordable tickets will be allocated for the General Stands. Standard Seats, Premium Seats, and VIP Hospitality will be available for bookings. Calculate your budget to buy tickets. These price ranges vary based on venue and match demand. For high-profile games and playoffs, the ticket prices will be higher. 

• After choosing the desired stands, the fan will need to provide their contact details for the ticket confirmation. 

• In the final step, you will complete the payment by using any of UPI, Debit Card, Credit Card, or Net Banking. 

• After the successful payment, you will receive a digital ticket with a QR code via email or SMS.

As the IPL 2026 schedule has been revealed in the first phase for 16 days with 20 matches, the Punjab Kings have learnt their first four games of the season.  

After producing some great performances in the last season, the Punjab Kings finally broke their curse by reaching the Playoffs in the IPL 2025 after 10 seasons. PBKS played their second IPL final last season, but couldn't bring the title luck, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru won their first IPL trophy. 

Two-time IPL runners-up Punjab Kings are still waiting for their first trophy, as they are eyeing it in the IPL 2026.

Legends League Cricket 2026: Full squads of all teams announced

Punjab Kings IPL 2026 Schedule

PBKS have to prove themselves in the 2026 season, as they need to maintain their success as a strong challenging team. Indian star Shreyas Iyer is ready to continue his impressive leadership role for the franchise in the 2026 season. 

IPL 2026: PBKS Complete Squad

Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Musheer Khan, Pyala Avinash, Harnoor Pannu, Suryansh Shedge, Mitchell Owen, Xavier Bartlett, Lockie Ferguson, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Yash Thakur, Vishnu Vinod, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Pravin Dubey, and Vishal Nishad.

Indian cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal has been in the news recently due to speculation about his personal life. From Yuzi’s widely discussed divorce from his ex-wife Dhanashree Verma to link-up rumours with RJ Mahvash, the spinner has often grabbed headlines for off-field reasons. Now, fresh speculation about his real-life romance has once again put him in the spotlight.

A video showing Yuzvendra Chahal with former Bigg Boss 13 contestant Shefali Bagga in Mumbai has gone viral on social media. The clip, shared by fan pages and various online platforms, shows the two leaving a dinner venue, which quickly sparked online discussions. Their public appearance came at a time when there is already strong interest in Chahal’s personal relationships.

Chahal and Bagga were seen leaving separately after dinner. Chahal wore a black shirt with blue jeans, while Bagga was dressed in a black outfit. Neither of them made any public statement about the meeting, and both stayed silent on social media. However, the visuals from the evening were enough to fuel speculation. Several fan pages claimed the two were spotted together after dinner, with short videos and photos circulating widely and keeping social media buzzing.

Watch the video here: 

🚨Yuzvendra Chahal giving tough competition to Hardik Pandya 💀

Yuzvendra Chahal dating Shefali Bagga after unfollowing RJ Mahvash?

Bro changes dating partners like cars — Chahal is becoming a real playboy cricketer 😬🔥

The two were spotted together after a dinner outing, and… pic.twitter.com/V3ArVwPwOf

— Sonu (@Cricket_live247) January 25, 2026

Also read -

Chahal–RJ Mahvash Link-Up Rumours Resurface

This sighting comes amid recent developments involving Yuzvendra Chahal and RJ Mahvash, a radio presenter who was earlier linked with the cricketer after his divorce from choreographer Dhanashree Verma in 2025. Social media users recently noticed that Chahal and Mahvash no longer follow each other on Instagram, a small but noticeable detail that has once again fuelled dating rumours that first surfaced last year.

What Happened Between Chahal and Mahvash?

Chahal and Mahvash were often seen together at public events and shared supportive posts for each other on social media. However, both repeatedly denied being in a romantic relationship. Addressing the rumours on a podcast, Chahal had said, “No, there’s nothing like that. People can think whatever they want.”

Unfollow Drama Sparks Fresh Speculation

Despite these clear denials, interest in Chahal’s personal life has not slowed down. Reports of the two unfollowing each other on Instagram went viral and triggered fresh speculation among fans and media. Last week, paparazzo Varinder Chawla also shared a post claiming that Chahal and Mahvash had unfollowed each other, hinting at a possible breakup.

Adding to the buzz, RJ Mahvash recently shared a cryptic Instagram story that read, “90% of the time, you will see me fixing my hair. Rest of the time – fixing my life. (sic)” The post further intensified online discussions around the cricketer’s personal life.

Punjab Kings have signed Australian all-rounder Cooper Connolly for the cost of INR 3 crore in the IPL 2026 mini-auction, and the storyline was established almost immediately. Glenn Maxwell had already been released by the team and had also chosen to opt out of the auction, but Connolly was expected to be the same and create an impact for PBKS.

In a recent interaction with Indian media, Connolly was asked directly about the Maxwell comparisons. He responded with honesty and respect, saying, “Yeah, I think the comparisons to Maxie, I’ll take it. But he is a world-class player. I’m a long way from being as good as him.” The statement reflected humility rather than pressure, with Connolly acknowledging the scale of expectations while keeping his feet firmly on the ground.

Connolly did not shy away from the discussion, but he also made it clear he is not arriving with the idea of being a ready-made replacement. Instead, his focus remains on contributing in his own way and fitting into the team’s plans rather than trying to mirror someone else’s role or reputation.

Connolly Clear on His PBKS Role and Season Goals

While accepting the comparisons as a compliment, Connolly was quick to underline what truly matters to him. “But no, I think the only thing that I’m just looking forward to is playing some positive cricket and looking to win games for Punjab,” he said. The emphasis stayed on team success rather than individual headlines.

Explaining his motivation behind joining Punjab Kings, Connolly pointed to unfinished business from last season. “But yeah, it’s going to be an exciting group. And obviously, last year, they didn’t quite win the whole thing.” For him, the move is about helping the team go one step further.

Connolly ended on a note of quiet optimism, adding, “But I think this year looks promising. And yeah, I think I’m just looking forward to getting over to the group and, I guess, pursuing for tha trophy. But, yeah its going to be a good season.” For Punjab, the takeaway is simple—Connolly is not promising to be Maxwell 2.0, but he is promising intent, positive cricket, and a genuine push for the IPL 2026 title.

The countdown has started for the IPL 2026 auction, which is scheduled to take place on December 16 in Abu Dhabi. It is a one-day event that will start at 1pm local time (2.30pm IST). For the high-voltage event, Shreyas Iyer arrived in Dubai to represent Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the auction.

The franchise has shared a specially edited video to capture the arrival of their 'Sarpanch' in style. The video is full of swagger. To add some feel, the video has the recent viral soundtrack from Akshaye Khanna's latest movie, 'Dhurandhar'. With the essence from the movie and the soundtrack, the video shared by PBKS attracted a lot of attention from netizens without wasting any time. Through the video we can see Iyer stepped out of a black BMW.

He is all set to represent in the PBKS auction pavilion. It was reported before that their head coach Ricky Ponting is uncertain for the auction, so Iyer will take his place at the table, which will be a big moment for the cricketer as it shows how much the franchise trusts their skipper. After an impressive season, PBKS retained most of their previous players. From the auction, they can rope in 4, including 2 overseas players, with a purse of INR 11.50 crore.

Read More: IND vs SA 3rd T20I: India vs South Africa highlights and key performances

Watch Shreyas Iyer's entry here

CAPTAIN SHREYAS IYER IS READY FOR THE IPL AUCTION...!!!! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/mpwy7Rl3LS

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 15, 2025

PBKS retained players list for the IPL 2026 season:

Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harpreet Brar, Suryansh Shedge, Vishnu Vinod, Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur, Mitchell Owen, Harnoor Singh, Musheer Khan, Pyla Avinash, Marco Jansen, and Lockie Ferguson.

Purse remaining: INR 11.50 crore out of INR 125 crore

Slots remaining: 4 (2 overseas)

Ahead of the upcoming auction of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026 Auction), an all-rounder from Australia expresses his desire to play for Punjab Kings (PBKS). In an interview, the all-rounder directly said that he wishes to play for PBKS, the runner-up of the previous IPL season, IPL 2025.

Punjab Kings had a promising campaign in the last season. Under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer, they reached the final of the league. There, they lost agains Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and concluded the season as the second best team. In IPL 2026, there will be high hopes around the franchise.

Nikhil Chaudhary, Delhi-born and now an Australian cricketer, has the desire to play for PBKS. The 29-year-old is known for his spin bowling and hard-hitting abilities as a lower-end batter. Ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, there are some videos of Chaudhary that have been surfacing on social media platforms, depicting his skills as a limited-over cricketer.

Read More: Pakistan tour uncertain after Islamabad blast as Cricket Australia sends security delegation

Australian all-rounder wishes to play of Punjab Kings in IPL

Australian Cricketer Nikhil Chaudhary wants to play for Punjab Kings in IPL.🚨

pic.twitter.com/PVIDbw9Bx9

— JATT TORONTO ALA (@GoraJatt_) December 10, 2025

The allrounder has been in great form in Australian domestic cricket. For Tasmania, Nikhil scored 163 runs during a Sheffield Shield match against New South Wales and was named the best player of the game. Before that, against Victoria, he registered 38 & 25 runs in the first and second innings, respectively. On December 5, during the Tasmania vs South Australia match, Chaudhary got 42 runs in the second innings.

The Delhi-born has a strong connection with Punjab, as they played for the state. In the Punjabi language, he said, "Hopefully, in the future, I'll play for Punjab in the IPL."

Punjab Kings (PBKS) made some intersting decision by retaining multiple uncapped Indain cricketers while they decided to let go Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Hardie, Kuldeep Sen, and Pravin Dubey. Ahead of IPL 2026, one of the uncapped Indian players of PBKS bowled brilliantly on the first day of the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT 2025). 

Punjab Kings star Yash Thakur took 3 crucial wickets for Vidarbha cricket team against Chhattisgarh at the Ekana Cricket Stadium B Ground in Lucknow. Thakur claimed three wickets in 4 overs, against 25 runs, which secured his economy rate at 6.25. Chhattisgarh, batting first, was able to score only 133 runs in 20 overs for 9 wickets. 

The target was achievable on paper, but the bowlers of Chhattisgarh were too good to protect their total. Vidarbha was going behind the target well until Shashank Singh, another PBKS star, was on the crease. His dismissal proved fatal for the second batting team. Vidarbha bundled for only 106 runs in 19.1 overs. 

Read More: Who is the RCB pacer who took 2 wickets on the opening day of SMAT 2025?

PBKS talent yash Thakur got 3 wickets in SMAT 2025 match

Despite the result, the brilliant bowling performance by Yash Thakur should not be diminished. In IPL 2025, he played only a couple of matches for the runners-up of IPL 2025. In those 2 matches, the pacer got a wicket as well. But his economy rate was on the higher side. Still, the manager showed trust in the emerging talent. 

PBKS retained players list: 

Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harpreet Brar, Suryansh Shedge, Vishnu Vinod, Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur, Mitchell Owen, Harnoor Singh, Musheer Khan, Pyla Avinash, Marco Jansen, and Lockie Ferguson.

The IPL 2026 retention window saw a range of surprising exits in recent seasons, with the celebrated Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the forefront of the story, notably after parting ways with the Australian star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and England wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis. Fans and analysts were surprised by this decision from PBKS, especially given that they had also been spotted retaining at least one of the two proven match-winners. PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting has now offered a clear rationale behind the move, claiming that Inglis’ poor availability and Maxwell's diminishing form contributed to the decision to part ways with them.

Ponting said, while Josh Inglis is a talented and versatile wicketkeeper-batter, his international commitments meant he would be unavailable for much of the IPL. Following an international tour, a team in need of stability and continuity cannot increase its reliance on a player who is not available for most fixtures, as Ponting pointed out. He also mentioned he would like to have Inglis as part of the squad, but the team had to make a tough decision due to concerns about him being available.

The decision to release Glenn Maxwell was based on his actual performance; he struggled in IPL 2025, scoring only 48 runs and taking 4 wickets in seven matches, and therefore didn't play with the effectiveness we know he can. In fact, Ponting said that PBKS "couldn’t get the best out of him" last season, and as they plan for IPL 2026, they didn’t see him as part of their starting XI. Given that the franchise wanted to build a tougher and balanced outfit, it didn't make sense to sign Maxwell at the price PBKS signed him for. After finishing as runners-up in 2025, PBKS has now retained 21 players, going into the mini-auction, we went in with 4 slots empty, with 2 for overseas players.

See Also: Watch: Ravindra Jadeja's double-wicket over rocks back South Africa during IND vs SA 1st Test

Ponting’s Vision in the Punjab Kings’ Rebuild

Ponting’s comments reinforce PBKS’ change in philosophy to want to build a squad that’s more focused on consistency and availability. With Shreyas Iyer continuing as captain, it’s their hope that by plugging up any holes, they will also be able to find players who can show up through the season without missing time for any reason.

Leading into the December 16 mini-auction, PBKS is expected to target players who provide a multi-utility (form and reliability) with their international contingent playing a large part in the overhaul plan heading into IPL 2026.