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For the Punjab Kings, this victory boosts confidence after a strong showing last season. Shreyas Iyer's leadership and the emergence of new talent like Cooper Connolly signal a promising campaign ahead.
Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans(HT_PRINT)Punjab Kings (PBKS) kicked off their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 campaign with a nail-biting victory over Gujarat Titans (GT) in Match 4 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium. Chasing a modest 163, PBKS sealed the win with 5 balls to spare, thanks to an unbeaten 72 off 44 balls from debutant Cooper Connolly.
Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to bowl first, a decision that paid off as Punjab's bowlers kept Gujarat Titans in check. GT managed 162/6 in 20 overs, with contributions from Shubman Gill (39 off 27) and Jos Buttler (38 off 33), but regular breakthroughs prevented a bigger total.
Vijaykumar Vyshak and Yuzvendra Chahal shine with the ball for Punjab Kings
Vijaykumar Vyshak was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 3/34 in his four overs. Yuzvendra Chahal picked up two crucial wickets, including dismissing Gill for the fourth time in IPL encounters. Marco Jansen also made an impact early by removing B Sai Sudharsan. The bowling unit restricted GT effectively on a good batting surface, setting up a chaseable target.
Gujarat Titans' innings featured starts from the top order, but the middle order struggled to accelerate against disciplined bowling. Washington Sundar and others added late cameos, but PBKS maintained control throughout.
Cooper Connolly's heroic knock steers PBKS home in a tense chase
Punjab Kings' chase began steadily but hit turbulence in the middle overs as they lost wickets at regular intervals, including skipper Shreyas Iyer and other key batters. At one stage, the game hung in the balance with PBKS needing quick runs.
Enter Cooper Connolly. The young Australian all-rounder, playing his maiden IPL match, walked in and took charge with fearless batting. He found boundaries consistently and built crucial partnerships, remaining unbeaten on 72 off 44 balls. His composure under pressure, combined with support from the lower order like Marco Jansen and Xavier Bartlett (11* off 5), guided PBKS to 165/7 in 19.1 overs.
In the final over, Connolly fittingly sealed the deal with a crisp boundary off Washington Sundar, triggering celebrations in the PBKS dugout.
What this means for both teams
For the Punjab Kings, this victory boosts confidence after a strong showing last season. Shreyas Iyer's leadership and the emergence of new talent like Connolly signal a promising campaign ahead.
Gujarat Titans, led by Shubman Gill, will look to bounce back quickly, with their bowling attack showing promise despite the defeat.
Post-match reactions
Shreyas Iyer, Punjab Kings captain, said, "All I can say is it's nice. It's the same as it was before (on his hand injury). I don't want to jinx anything. I just want to stay positive, and hopefully everything comes out right.
"I think after the third over, we realized that the wicket was playing a bit slow. Arshdeep instantly came and said that it's holding a bit. So we decided that we'll try to make the ball old as quickly as possible and just bowl slow and stick to the wicket, and it really helped us," he added.
Shubman Gill, Gujarat Titans captain, said, "I think we bowled pretty well, but I think we just didn't get going in the last five or six overs, I'd say. Batting, it never looked like a 210-220 wicket. But I think if we had had maybe 175, 180 was the target in the middle. Once the ball got older, it was difficult to hit it down the ground. In the second innings, rain continued, making the ball wet, which slightly improved batting conditions. So I don't think it stopped as much in the second innings. But nonetheless, I think we did a decent job."
About the Author
Aachal Maniyar
Aachal Maniyar is a Senior Content Producer at LiveMint, where she covers US sports with a focus on major leagues, marquee events, and athlete-driven stories, while also reporting extensively on cricket and global sports. With over five years of first-hand journalism experience, she combines sharp editorial judgment with real-time sports storytelling across platforms. <br><br> Her reporting journey spans leading newsrooms including Thomson Reuters, India TV, BTVI, ET NOW, and CNBC TV18, where she has worked across breaking news, live match coverage, feature writing, interviews, video scripting, and anchoring. This multi-platform exposure has shaped her ability to deliver context-rich sports and business journalism tailored for both television and digital audiences. <br><br> Aachal has conducted and produced exclusive interviews with athletes and public figures such as India cricketer Dhruv Jurel, Indian women’s hockey captain Savita Punia, and industrialist Ratan Tata, along with several emerging and established sports personalities. Her body of work includes in-depth explainers, athlete profiles, emotionally resonant fan narratives, and data-backed match analysis across cricket, Olympic sports, and international competitions. <br><br> She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, and believes in reporting that is grounded in accuracy, clarity, and credibility. Her philosophy is simple: sports journalism should go beyond scores and statistics, capturing the human stories, pressure moments, and decisions that shape the game and the people who play it.
English (US) ·