Published on: Mar 31, 2026 4:27 pm IST|Updated on: Mar 31, 2026 4:27 pm IST
The finalists of last season, the Punjab Kings, are all set to play their first game of this season. They will be hosting the Gujarat Titans at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur in match 4 of Tata IPL 2026. With this being the opening game for both GT and PBKS, they are expected to come all guns blazing in this contest and get their season campaign underway.
This is a game set to be contested between two quality sides who performed pretty well last season. The Kings were the finalists of the last season, whereas the Titans made it to the playoffs and finished fourth after losing to Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator. As the teams prepare for this key fixture, let’s examine five standout players who may shape the outcome of the contest PBKS vs GT IPL 2026.
The Punjab Kings skipper is one of the key players in this contest. The skipper will be batting at no. 4 this time with head coach Ricky Ponting, giving the no. 3 spot to the Aussie all-rounder Cooper Connolly. Shreyas was exceptional in the previous season for the Kings batting at no. 3, as he scored over 400 runs in the season. This year won’t be different for the Punjab skipper as he will have a lot to do with the bat and with his captaincy as well.
Talking about Shreyas Iyer’s record against the Titans, the Punjab skipper has played 2 innings against this side and has scored 109 runs, which includes a top score of 97* and a massive strike rate of 191.22. Expect Iyer to have a good game in this contest.
The Gujarat Titans skipper, Shubman Gill, finished the last season as the second-highest run-scorer for GT with 650 runs from 15 innings at an average of 50 and a strike rate of 155.87. Gill has been the batter to watch out for GT in the recent past. Leading the side from the front is something the Titans skipper has to do in this game as well, and that could be achieved only when Gill gets going with the bat.
Talking about Gill’s numbers against the Punjab Kings, the GT skipper has scored 554 runs in 13 innings against this opposition at a brilliant average of 61.55 and a strike rate of 146.94. With Gill having staggering numbers against Punjab, expect the GT skipper to play a vital role for his side at the top in this game.
The Orange cap holder from the last season, Sai Sudharsan, will be at the forefront of GT’s batting this season. Having scored in excess of 700 runs in the last season, the southpaw from Tamil Nadu always looked to play substantial knocks, something he would like to do this season as well.
His numbers against the Punjab Kings aren’t bad either. The left-hander has amassed 257 runs in 6 innings against this opposition with 2 fifties. He averages over 50 and strikes at a rate of 132.47. With his numbers voicing his class against the Punjab Kings, expect the southpaw to have a lasting impact in this game.
Shashank Singh is the designated finisher for Punjab Kings. The right-hander from Chattishgarh has made a reputation for scoring runs at a brisk pace and bailing his side out of trouble. His heroics in the final of the last season are fresh in every fan’s memory.
Shashank’s ability to hit both pacers and spinners even when his team’s back is against the wall makes him an asset in the Punjab Kings’ lineup. Talking about his numbers against the Gujarat Titans, Shashank has played only 4 innings against them and has scored 138 runs with a fifty to his name. What strikes out is his strike rate, which is as humongous as 219.04, and he is yet t0 be dismissed by a GT bowler.
Tags: IPL 2026