In one of the most gripping contests of the opening week of IPL 2026, the Punjab Kings (PBKS) pulled off a nail-biting 3-wicket victory over the Gujarat Titans (GT) in Match 4 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur (New Chandigarh) on March 31, 2026.
The match had everything a T20 fan could ask for — tight bowling, mid-innings drama, a spine-tingling collapse, and a superstar IPL debut. Australian all-rounder Cooper Connolly was the hero of the night, remaining unbeaten on a sensational 72 off 46 balls to guide PBKS home with five balls to spare.
🏟️ Venue & Match Details
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Match | IPL 2026, Match 4 |
| Date | March 31, 2026 |
| Venue | Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur |
| Result | Punjab Kings won by 3 wickets |
| Toss | PBKS won; elected to field |
| Player of the Match | Cooper Connolly (PBKS) |
📊 Full Scorecard
Gujarat Titans Innings: 162/6 (20 overs)
GT never truly found their rhythm on a slow, damp surface. Captain Shubman Gill (39) and wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler (38) provided the platform, but neither could convert those starts into a match-winning knock. The duo were both dismissed by Yuzvendra Chahal, who was back to his brilliant best, returning figures of 2/28.
The standout fielding moment of the entire match — arguably of the IPL 2026 season so far — came when Xavier Bartlett took a stunning mid-air catch to send Buttler packing. GT’s final five overs produced only 31 runs, largely because of disciplined bowling from Vijaykumar Vyshak (3/34) and Marco Jansen, who strangled the scoring at the death. The Titans were bowled out for a below-par 162/6.
GT Key Batters: Shubman Gill 39 | Jos Buttler 38 | Glenn Phillips 25
PBKS Key Bowlers: Vijaykumar Vyshak 3/34 | Yuzvendra Chahal 2/28
Punjab Kings Innings: 165/7 (19.1 overs)
Chasing 163, PBKS looked comfortable when Prabhsimran Singh blazed 37 off 24 balls, and captain Shreyas Iyer chipped in with a brisk 18. But GT’s Prasidh Krishna turned the match on its head with a 3/29 spell that triggered a dramatic PBKS collapse — four wickets tumbling for just eight runs in 16 balls as PBKS slipped from cruise control to crisis mode.
That is when Cooper Connolly — on his IPL debut — showed composure far beyond his 22 years. The left-handed Australian batted with authority, hitting six fours and four sixes, and kept his cool even as wickets kept falling around him. He sealed the win off his own bat with a boundary in the 20th over, finishing on an unbeaten 72 — one of the finest IPL debut innings in recent memory.
PBKS Key Batters: Cooper Connolly 72* (46) | Prabhsimran Singh 37 (24) | Shreyas Iyer 18
GT Key Bowlers: Prasidh Krishna 3/29 | Rashid Khan 1/22
⭐ Player Ratings
| Player | Rating | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Cooper Connolly | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 10/10 | Dream debut — unbeaten 72 under pressure |
| Vijaykumar Vyshak | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 8/10 | Crucial 3/34, restricted GT at death |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 8/10 | Dismissed Gill & Buttler — key scalps |
| Prasidh Krishna | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 8/10 | Kept GT in the game with a 3-fer |
| Xavier Bartlett | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 7/10 | Stunning catch + useful cameo at the end |
| Shubman Gill | ⭐⭐⭐ 6/10 | Decent knock but couldn’t capitalise |
🔍 Key Talking Points
1. Cooper Connolly — The Next Big IPL Star?
It is not every day that a debutant wins a match almost single-handedly. Connolly displayed the temperament of a seasoned campaigner, and head coach Ricky Ponting had been raving about him all pre-season. He provides PBKS with batting flexibility as a left-hander who can bat at No. 3 or lower. Expect him to be a major IPL 2026 fantasy cricket pick going forward.
2. Yuzvendra Chahal Dominates Shubman Gill — Again!
Chahal has now dismissed Shubman Gill four times in the IPL. On a slow pitch, the veteran leg-spinner was unplayable in the middle overs and once again reminded everyone why he remains one of T20 cricket’s most complete spinners.
3. GT’s Death-Overs Batting: A Concern
Despite having Buttler, Phillips, and Rashid Khan, GT managed only 31 runs in their last five overs. This batting tail-off in the Power Surge and death overs is something captain Gill will need to address urgently.
4. PBKS’s Middle-Order Frailty
Despite winning, PBKS’s collapse from 115/2 to 123/6 exposed a mid-order brittleness. The pressure overs under Prasidh’s spell nearly cost them the match. While Connolly bailed them out today, this remains a concern for future matches.
📈 IPL 2026 Points Table (After Match 4)
| Team | Played | Won | Lost | Points | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RCB | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | +2.67 |
| MI | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | +0.16 |
| RR | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | +3.92 |
| PBKS | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | +0.15 |
| SRH | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -2.67 |
| KKR | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -0.16 |
| CSK | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -3.92 |
| GT | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -0.15 |
| LSG | 0 | — | — | 0 | — |
| DC | 0 | — | — | 0 | — |
🔮 What’s Next?
PBKS next face CSK on April 3 in Chennai, while GT host DC on April 8. With the first four matches all won by the chasing side, the toss and pitch conditions are shaping up as massive factors in IPL 2026.
✅ Final Verdict
A match that had a slow start but delivered a breathtaking finish. PBKS deserved the win — their bowling was more disciplined, their fielding was exceptional (that Bartlett catch!), and they produced a debut performance that will be talked about for years. For Gujarat Titans, they have the firepower but need to string together more complete performances.
Match Rating: 8/10 — A thrilling IPL 2026 encounter that introduced the tournament’s newest star.
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