'Don’t play with our emotions like this'- Sanju Samson's early dismissal sparks fan fury in CSK vs PBKS IPL 2026 clash

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) fans expressed deep disappointment as star batter Sanju Samson fell cheaply once again during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday (April 3). The Kerala star, who joined CSK in a major trade ahead of the season, managed just 7 runs off 7 balls before edging behind to Punjab keeper Prabhsimran Singh off Xavier Bartlett.

This marked Samson's second straight low score after his CSK debut against Rajasthan Royals, where he was clean bowled for 6. Expectations were sky-high for the T20 World Cup winner in his first home game in the yellow jersey, but the early exit left the Chepauk crowd stunned and vocal on social media.

Fans vent frustration on social media

Supporters took to social media platforms like X to share their heartbreak. One fan wrote, "Don’t play with our emotions like this," summing up the collective mood. Many pointed out that Samson had hit a promising boundary just before his dismissal, but failed to build on it. Posts flooded in with reactions like "Sanju Samson dismissed for 7 in 7 balls again?" and “Early blow for CSK.”

The frustration stems from Samson's reputation as an explosive opener. After years with the Rajasthan Royals, his move to CSK came with big hopes of adding firepower to the top order alongside skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad. At the time of his wicket, CSK were at 14/1 in just the second over, putting immediate pressure on the middle order.

What went wrong for Sanju Samson?

Sanju Samson started aggressively, smashing a four off Bartlett in the 1.5th over. However, the next delivery proved fatal. The ball nipped away slightly, and Samson's attempt to drive resulted in a thin edge. Prabhsimran completed a straightforward catch, silencing the home crowd.

This quick dismissal echoed his first outing against RR, where Nandre Burger's peach ended his stay for 6. It also broke his long streak of strong IPL openers.

Punjab Kings, who won the toss and elected to bowl, got the perfect start. Bartlett's swing and accuracy troubled the CSK openers early.

Punjab Kings Impact subs: Suryansh Shedge, Priyansh Arya, Vishnu Vinod, Praveen Dubey, Harpreet Brar

Chennai Super Kings Impact subs: Jamie Overton, Rahul Chahar, Matthew Short, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Gurjapneet Singh

CSK vs PBKS teams:

Punjab Kings Playing XI: Prabhsimran Singh(w), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer(c), Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal

PBKS Impact subs: Suryansh Shedge, Priyansh Arya, Vishnu Vinod, Praveen Dubey, Harpreet Brar

Chennai Super Kings Playing XI: Sanju Samson(w), Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Ayush Mhatre, Sarfaraz Khan, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Prashant Veer, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Matt Henry, Khaleel Ahmed

CSK Impact subs: Jamie Overton, Rahul Chahar, Matthew Short, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Gurjapneet Singh