PBKS vs GT Match Result IPL 2026: Punjab Kings Win Thriller Against Gujarat Titans
Punjab Kings (PBKS) beat Gujarat Titans (GT) by 3 wickets in IPL 2026 Match 4. Cooper Connolly's debut fifty and Vyshak's 3 wickets sealed the win in Mullanpur.
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Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans: Match Report & Highlights
1. The Toss and Strategy
Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to bowl first, citing the potential for dew later in the evening. The Kings handed a debut to Australian young gun Cooper Connolly, while the Titans bolstered their attack with the high-profile signing of Kagiso Rabada and the inclusion of Jos Buttler at the top.
2. First Innings: Titans Set a Competitive Total
The Gujarat Titans innings was a tale of steady starts but no explosive finish. Shubman Gill (39 off 27) and Jos Buttler (38 off 33) provided a solid platform, but the PBKS bowling unit, led by Vijaykumar Vyshak, kept the pressure on.
- Key Wicket: Yuzvendra Chahal dismissed Gill in the 10th over just as he looked to accelerate.
- Death Bowling: Vyshak finished with excellent figures of 3/34, while Arshdeep Singh's final over became the joint-longest in IPL history (11 balls) due to a series of wides.
- Final Score: GT finished at 162/6 in their 20 overs.
3. Second Innings: The Chase and a Star is Born
Punjab's chase got off to a rocky start when Kagiso Rabada dismissed Priyansh Arya early for his 300th T20 wicket. However, what followed was a masterclass from debutant Cooper Connolly.
- Connolly's Heroics: Batting at number three, Connolly smashed 72 off 44 balls*, including 5 sixes.
- The Collapse: PBKS slipped from 110/2 to 147/7 after a devastating triple-strike by Prasidh Krishna (3/29), which included the wickets of Shreyas Iyer and Marcus Stoinis in quick succession.
- The Finish: With 16 needed off 12 balls, Xavier Bartlett smashed a crucial six off Prasidh, and Connolly finished the game with a boundary in the final over to seal a 3-wicket victory.
Key Match Statistics
Category Performer Stats
Top Scorer (PBKS) Cooper Connolly 72* (44)
Top Scorer (GT) Shubman Gill 39 (27)
Best Bowler (PBKS) Vijaykumar Vyshak 3/34 (4 overs)
Best Bowler (GT) Prasidh Krishna 3/29 (4 overs)
Post-Match Analysis
The victory moves Punjab Kings to the top half of the table, while Gujarat Titans will rue their middle-order slowdown. Connolly's performance marks him as a player to watch for the rest of the season, becoming the 25th player to score a half-century on his IPL debut.
