Punjab Kings edged past Gujarat Titans by 3 wickets in IPL 2026 Match 4 at New Chandigarh on March 31, 2026. After three one-sided results to start the season, this game finally delivered the first real nail-biter.
Cooper Connolly was the star. He walked in at 7/1 in the 2nd over and remained unbeaten on 72 off 44 balls (5 fours, 5 sixes), steering PBKS home despite a middle-order collapse of 5 wickets for 35 runs. Xavier Bartlett (11* off 5) provided the finishing punch with 5 balls to spare.
Match Summary: PBKS vs GT, IPL 2026 Match 4
| Aspect | Info |
|---|---|
| GT Score | 162/6 (20 overs) |
| PBKS Score | 165/7 (19.1 overs) |
| Result | PBKS won by 3 wickets (5 balls remaining) |
| Venue | New Chandigarh |
| Date | March 31, 2026 (Night Match) |
| Best Batter (GT) | Shubman Gill – 39 off 27 balls |
| Best Batter (PBKS) | Cooper Connolly – 72* off 44 balls |
| Best Bowler (PBKS) | Vijaykumar Vyshak – 3/34 in 4 overs |
| Best Bowler (GT) | Prasidh Krishna – 3/29 in 4 overs |
| Player of the Match | Cooper Connolly (PBKS) |
GT Innings: 162/6 in 20 Overs
Sai Sudharsan fell early for 13, caught off Marco Jansen in the 4th over. Captain Shubman Gill looked fluent, though, hitting 6 fours in his 39 off 27.
Gill and Jos Buttler added 46 for the second wicket before Yuzvendra Chahal struck. Chahal picked up both set batters, dismissing Gill (c Connolly) at 83/2 and Buttler (c Bartlett) for 38 off 33 at 129/4.
Glenn Phillips hit a handy 25 off 17 (1 four, 1 six), but Vijaykumar Vyshak was outstanding at the death. He grabbed 3/34, removing Phillips, Washington Sundar (18 off 16), and M Shahrukh Khan (4 off 6) in the final 5 overs.
GT managed 54/1 in the powerplay, reached 100 in 11.5 overs, and 150 in 18.5 overs. But 162/6 felt about 15-20 runs short, especially with Marco Jansen conceding just 20 runs in his 4 overs (economy 5.00).
GT Top Performers with the Bat
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s/6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shubman Gill (c) | 39 | 27 | 6 / 0 | 144.44 |
| Jos Buttler † | 38 | 33 | 3 / 2 | 115.15 |
| Glenn Phillips | 25 | 17 | 1 / 1 | 147.05 |
PBKS Bowling: Best Figures
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vijaykumar Vyshak | 4 | 34 | 3 | 8.50 |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | 4 | 28 | 2 | 7.00 |
| Marco Jansen | 4 | 20 | 1 | 5.00 |
| Xavier Bartlett | 4 | 36 | 0 | 9.00 |
Fall of Wickets: 1-37 (Sudharsan, 3.4), 2-83 (Gill, 9.3), 3-119 (Phillips, 13.6), 4-129 (Buttler, 15.4), 5-144 (Sundar, 18.1), 6-150 (Shahrukh Khan, 18.6)
PBKS Chase: 165/7 in 19.1 Overs
PBKS lost Priyansh Arya (the impact sub who replaced Chahal) for 7 in just the 2nd over, caught off Kagiso Rabada. That brought Connolly in at 7/1.
Prabhsimran Singh attacked freely from the other end, smashing 37 off 24 (1 four, 4 sixes). The second-wicket partnership produced 76 runs, and PBKS looked comfortable at 55/1 at the powerplay. They reached 50 in just 4.6 overs (30 balls).
Then Rashid Khan removed Prabhsimran at 83/2, and the floodgates opened. Captain Shreyas Iyer smashed 18 off 11 (2 sixes) but fell to Prasidh Krishna at 110/3.
What followed was a stunning collapse. Nehal Wadhera (3), Shashank Singh (4), and Marcus Stoinis (0) departed in quick succession. PBKS were 118/6 in 14.4 overs, needing 45 off 32 balls with the tail exposed.
Connolly refused to panic. He brought up his fifty off 34 balls (3 fours, 4 sixes) and targeted the boundaries whenever GT erred in length.
Marco Jansen (9 off 10, 1 six) added 26 with Connolly for the seventh wicket before falling at 144/7 in the 18th over. That left PBKS needing 19 off 15.
Xavier Bartlett settled the nerves with a quickfire 11* off 5 (1 six). The eighth-wicket pair knocked off the remaining runs, and PBKS sealed the win with 5 balls to spare.
PBKS Top Performers with the Bat
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s/6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper Connolly | 72* | 44 | 5 / 5 | 163.63 |
| Prabhsimran Singh † | 37 | 24 | 1 / 4 | 154.16 |
| Shreyas Iyer (c) | 18 | 11 | 0 / 2 | 163.63 |
| Xavier Bartlett | 11* | 5 | 0 / 1 | 220.00 |
GT Bowling: Best Figures
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prasidh Krishna | 4 | 29 | 3 | 7.25 |
| Rashid Khan | 4 | 29 | 1 | 7.25 |
| Washington Sundar | 3.1 | 27 | 1 | 8.52 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 3 | 34 | 1 | 11.33 |
| Ashok Sharma | 3 | 31 | 1 | 10.33 |
Fall of Wickets: 1-7 (Priyansh Arya, 1.2), 2-83 (Prabhsimran Singh, 9.3), 3-110 (Shreyas Iyer, 12.1), 4-113 (Nehal Wadhera, 13.1), 5-118 (Shashank Singh, 14.2), 6-118 (Marcus Stoinis, 14.4), 7-144 (Marco Jansen, 17.4)
Key Highlights: PBKS vs GT IPL 2026 Match 4
- Connolly’s match-winning masterclass: He batted for nearly the entire innings, walking in at 7/1 and finishing unbeaten on 72* off 44. Named both POTM and Cricinfo MVP (87.23 points). His composure during the 118/6 crisis was remarkable.
- PBKS survived a dramatic collapse: From 83/1, Punjab lost 5 wickets for 35 runs to slump to 118/6. Prasidh Krishna’s 3/29 was the catalyst, and Stoinis’ duck two balls after Shashank’s dismissal made it look bleak.
- Vyshak’s death-overs masterclass: Vijaykumar Vyshak’s 3/34 ensured GT couldn’t accelerate at the back end. He dismissed Phillips, Sundar, and Shahrukh Khan in the final 5 overs to keep the total under control.
- Jansen bowled beautifully with the new ball: Marco Jansen was the most economical bowler on either side with 1/20 in 4 overs at just 5.00 per over. He removed Sudharsan early and kept the pressure on throughout.
- Bartlett’s finishing cameo: 11* off 5 balls with a six. The Australian quick walked in with PBKS needing 21 off 16 and helped Connolly close it out.
- Impact subs shaped both innings: PBKS brought in Priyansh Arya for Chahal at 16.1 overs of GT innings. GT replaced Shahrukh Khan with Prasidh Krishna at 19.6 overs. Prasidh’s 3/29 nearly won GT the game.
- First close contest of IPL 2026: After three lopsided results (6 wkts, 6 wkts, 8 wkts), this was the first game decided by 3 wickets or fewer. Proper edge-of-the-seat stuff.
Verdict: PBKS Beat GT in First Close Encounter of IPL 2026
Cooper Connolly’s composure under extreme pressure was the difference. PBKS’ middle order did everything possible to lose this game, but Connolly’s ability to hold one end and then accelerate when needed was exceptional.
GT will rue a below-par total. Gill, Buttler, and Phillips all got starts but none of them converted, which is ultimately what cost them.
