Punjab Kings defeated Gujarat Titans by 3 wickets in Match 4 of IPL 2026 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh, chasing down 163 to finish at 165/7 in 19.1 overs. The result marked a winning start for Punjab in their opening game of the season.

Gujarat Titans Post 162 After Steady Contributions

After being put in to bat, Gujarat Titans posted 162/6 in 20 overs, with contributions coming from across the batting line-up but without a defining innings. Sai Sudharsan scored 13 before falling early, while captain Shubman Gill anchored the innings with 39 off 27 balls, hitting 6 fours.

Jos Buttler added 38 off 33 balls, including 3 fours and 2 sixes, and Glenn Phillips chipped in with 25 off 17 to provide momentum through the middle overs. Washington Sundar contributed 18 off 16, but Gujarat were unable to accelerate significantly in the death overs.

Rahul Tewatia remained unbeaten on 11 off 10 balls as Gujarat finished with a run rate of 8.1. Punjab’s bowlers kept things under control, with Vijaykumar Vyshak leading the effort with 3/34, while Yuzvendra Chahal (2/28) and Marco Jansen (1/20) provided key breakthroughs.

Connolly Anchors Chase Amid Middle-Order Collapse

Punjab Kings’ chase began with an early setback as Priyansh Arya fell for 7 in 1.2 overs. However, Prabhsimran Singh counterattacked with 37 off 24 balls, including 4 sixes, helping PBKS reach 55/1 in the powerplay.

The chase was anchored by Cooper Connolly, who remained unbeaten on 72 off 44 balls, striking 5 fours and 5 sixes. He stitched a crucial 76-run partnership with Prabhsimran Singh that stabilised the innings.

Captain Shreyas Iyer contributed 18 off 11 balls, but Punjab suffered a collapse in the middle overs. Nehal Wadhera (3), Shashank Singh (4) and Marcus Stoinis (0) fell in quick succession as PBKS slipped from 110/2 to 118/6, bringing Gujarat back into the contest.

Despite the setbacks, Connolly held his composure and kept the chase on track, rotating strike and finding boundaries at key moments.

PBKS Hold Nerve To Seal Win With 5 Balls To Spare

Punjab Kings completed the chase in 19.1 overs, finishing at 165/7 with 5 balls remaining. Connolly found support from Marco Jansen (9 off 10) and Xavier Bartlett, who remained unbeaten on 11 off 5 balls to guide the team home.

Gujarat Titans’ bowlers created pressure in the middle overs, with Prasidh Krishna returning figures of 3/29. Rashid Khan and Washington Sundar picked up one wicket each, but they were unable to stop Punjab’s progress in the closing stages.

Connolly was named Player of the Match for his unbeaten 72, which proved decisive in a chase that saw multiple momentum shifts. The win gives Punjab Kings 2 points to begin their IPL 2026 campaign.

Punjab Kings will next look to carry this momentum forward, while Gujarat Titans will aim to regroup ahead of their upcoming fixtures after falling short in a closely contested match.

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