The season is already delivering thrills on the field, but an emotional family moment off it has captured hearts across the cricket world. Ahead of the much-awaited clash between (CSK) and (PBKS) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, a viral video showcased a touching father-son bond that perfectly blended cricket passion with family love.
Heart-warming family moment steals the spotlight
In a heartfelt scene, Sarfaraz Khan gifted his personalised CSK jersey to his father, Naushad Khan. The proud dad was seen smiling as he slipped into the yellow jersey, which featured his name and the number 97, his favourite. To complete the look and show balanced support, Naushad paired it with a Punjab Kings cap, cheering for his younger son Musheer Khan as well.
The video quickly went viral, highlighting years of sacrifice and dedication by the Khan family from Mumbai. Naushad, who has coached both sons since childhood, stood beside Sarfaraz with visible pride. This rare glimpse of emotion added a special layer to the high-stakes IPL encounter.
Sarfaraz shared the moment warmly: “Welcome to Chennai, Dad. CSK has made a Jersey for you. Your name and the number 97 are written on the jersey. 97 is your favourite number, and Naushad is written on the jersey,” he said. “I know he will support CSK as I am his elder son,” he added.
His father replied with simple yet powerful advice: “All the best, do well. Learn from Mahi Bhai, focus on the progress.”
The message to “learn from Mahi bhai” (MS Dhoni) and focus on the process resonated deeply, especially as Sarfaraz steps up in the middle order while Dhoni recovers from a calf injury that will sideline him for the first two weeks of the season.
Sarfaraz Khan joined CSK at the 2026 mini-auction for INR 75 lakh after an impressive domestic form, including India’s fastest List A fifty. The 28-year-old right-hander aims to strengthen Chennai Super Kings’ batting at Chepauk, where spin-friendly conditions could suit his game.
On the other side, younger brother Musheer Khan, a promising all-rounder retained by PBKS, brings solid domestic credentials and left-arm spin. The 21-year-old starred in the 2024 U19 World Cup and has shown big-match temperament. This marks the first meeting between the brothers, turning the contest into an exciting “brother vs brother” storyline.
Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings: Full squads
PBKS squad: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh(w), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer(c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harpreet Brar, Praveen Dubey, Vishnu Vinod, Suryansh Shedge, Yash Thakur, Azmatullah Omarzai, Ben Dwarshuis, Lockie Ferguson, Mitchell Owen, Harnoor Singh, Musheer Khan, Pyla Avinash, Vishal Nishad
CSK squad: Sanju Samson(w), Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Ayush Mhatre, Matthew Short, Kartik Sharma, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Matt Henry, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Sarfaraz Khan, Prashant Veer, Rahul Chahar, Gurjapneet Singh, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Akeal Hosein, MS Dhoni, Shreyas Gopal, Spencer Johnson, Mukesh Choudhary, Aman Khan, Dewald Brevis, Zakary Foulkes, Urvil Patel