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IPL 2026, PBKS vs GT Updates: Connolly stars as Punjab beat GT by 3 wickets

Tue, 31 March 2026

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23:33

Connolly stars with unbeaten 72

PBKS 165-7 (19.1 ovs) vs GT 162-6 | Scorecard

Punjab Kings edged Gujarat Titans by 3 wickets to start their IPL 2026 campaign on a winning note.

Debutant Cooper Connolly stars with an unbeaten 72.

A disciplined bowling effort helped PBKS restrict former champions GT to 162 for six with Vijaykumar Vyshak (3/34), Yuzvendra Chahal (2/28) and Marco Jansen (1/20) sharing the wickets after PBKS opted to bowl.

For GT, skipper Shubman Gill (39), Jos Buttler (38), Glenn Phillips (25) and Washington Sundar (18) scored bulk of the runs.

In reply, PBKS reached the target in 19.1 overs with Connolly (72 not out off 44 balls) emerging as the highest scorer.

Prasidh Krishna (3/29), Rashid Khan (1/29) and Washington Sundar (1/27) were among the wickets for GT.

Sundar bowls the final over with 2 needed.

Connolly plays it past covers to bring up the winning runs and Punjab Kings edge past GT by 3 wickets.

Krishna continues as 16 needed off 12.

He starts with a short bouncer and Bartlett starts the over with a six over deep mid-wicket!

Fuller ball next and Bartlett plays it to short cover for a quick single off a misfield.

Connolly then swivel pulls the slower short ball, wide off the man at short fine for a four.

Connolly then squeezes out the yorker to the off side for a single.

4 needed off 8 now and Bartlett pulls it to long on for a single.

23:21

Ashok Sharma removes Jansen

PBKS 147-7 (18 ovs) vs GT 162-6 | Scorecard

Bartlett is the new man in and he gets off the mark with a couple to mid-wicket.

Bartlett ends the over with a single as a wicket and just 5 come off the over.

Ashok Sharma is back in the attack and he starts with a slower bouncer and Connolly miscues it to long off for a single.

A dot and a wide later, Ashok bowls another dot.

Slower ball, Jansen makes room and plays it straight to the man at cover and he is out for 9 and Punjab in big trouble.

Krishna continues and Jansen squeezes out the yorker.

Bouncer next and Jansen pulls it over long on for a huge six!

A slower wide ball next. A single to long off next.

A dot later, Krishna changes his length, goes fuller and Connolly takes a single as he flicks the ball onto his pad.

Wide given next, GT review and the third umpire says it's a fair delivery. 9 runs come off the over.

Rabada is back in the attack, wide and quick and Connolly just guides it to third man for a four as he brings up his half-century on IPL debut.

Connolly then takes a single to covers.

A dot later, Jansen cuts it to deep point for a single. 12 come off the over.

A dot next as Rabada bowls a short ball. Short again and Connolly swivel pulls the ball over backward square leg for a six!

22:58

Shashank, Shreyas back in the hut

PBKS 121-6 (15 ovs) vs GT 162-6 | Scorecard

Jansen is the new man in and he is off the mark with a shot to cover for a single.

Wide called next for height. Connolly then plays the ball to deep cover for a single as 3 runs and 2 wickets come off it.

Stoinis is the new man in and he starts with a dot.

Stoinis is out next ball as the short and wide ball is ramped straight to the fielder at deep third man. He is out for a duck! Punjab go from 110 for 2 to 118 for 6 and Krishna has 3 for 3 off 10 deliveries.

Krishna continues and after a dot, Shashank edges the ball to the keeper and he is out for 4. Short ball, extra bounce does him in as he tries to guide the ball down to third man. Punjab now lose half the side. Krishna gets his second!

Shashank Singh is the new man in and he is off the mark with a couple to cover.

Shashank then takes a single to long on.

A dot later, Connolly takes a single to mid-wicket. A single for Shashank to end the over as 5 runs come off it.

Sundar is back in the attack and he strikes first ball as Wadhera comes down the track and slaps it straight to cover and he is out for 3.

Nehal Wadhera is the new man in and after two dots he is off the mark with a couple past backward point.

A dot later, Wadhera is put down by Sudharsan in the covers as he sneaks in a single. A wicket and 3 runs come off it.

Prasidh Krishna is in the attack now and he starts with a leg side half volley, Shreyas looks to flick it but only holes out to Sundar at backward square leg and is out for 18 off 11. Probably done in by loss of concentration after that injury.

22:38

Punjab in control

PBKS 108-2 (11.5 ovs) vs GT 162-6 | Scorecard

Rashid continues and Shreyas starts with a single.

Short ball, wrong un and Connolly swivel pulls it over long on for a six!

Connolly and Shreyas then take a single each before Connolly slaps the ball straight and the ball hits Shreyas straight on the right hand and he goes down in pain. The physio is out to check on him as he looks in agony with his wrist getting some attention. Shreyas gets the all clear and the game continues.

Connolly ends the over with a slice down backward point for a couple as 11 come off it.

Ashok Sharma is back in the attack and after a dot, he bowls a short bouncer and Shreyas top edges it over fine leg for a six!

Short again and Shreyas pulls this one nicely over deep backward square leg for a six!

Two dots later, Shreyas slashes it to deep point for a single as 13 come off it.

22:28

Prabhsimran out for 37

PBKS 86-2 (10 ovs) vs GT 162-6 | Scorecard

Shreyas Iyer is the new man in and he is off the mark with a couple to deep backward point.

Shreyas then takes a single to mid-wicket.

A dot to end the over as 5 runs and a wicket come off it.

Rashid continues and Prabhsimran and Connolly take a single each off the first two balls before Prabhsimram slaps the ball straight and flat to Prasidh Krishna at long on and he is out for 37 off 24 balls.

Sundar continues and gives the ball some loop, tossed up and Prabhsimran slogs it over square leg for a six!

Prabhsimran and Connolly then take three singles in the over as 9 come off it.

22:20

Prabhsimran-Connolly bring up 50-run stand

PBKS 72-1 (8 ovs) vs GT 162-6 | Scorecard

Rashid is back in the attack, he comes over the wicket to Connolly and after a dot, he comes around the wicket, Connolly just stands and delivers as he pulls it over wide long on for a six!

Back over the wicket and Connolly takes a single to long on.

Two dots later, Prabhsimran tickles the ball to fine leg for a single as 8 come off it.

Sundar in the attack now and Connolly starts the over with a single to sweeper cover.

A dot later, Prabhsimran takes a single to the off side to bring up the 50-run stand off just 32 balls.

Connolly then gets a single to the leg side before Prabhsimran gets one in the slot, and he slog sweeps it over long on for a six!

A dot to end the over as 9 come off the over.

22:12

Connolly-Prabhsimran take to the attack

PBKS 55-1 (6 ovs) vs GT 162-6 | Scorecard

Rashid is in the attack now and after a dot, Connolly slaps the wrong un over mid-off for a four!

A single later.

Prabhsimran plays a dot before Rashid appeals for a leg before, the umpire raises the finger. Prabhsimran reviews and Ultra Edge shows the ball was edged by the bat.

A dot to end the over as 5 come off it.

Medium pacer and debutant Ashok Sharma in the attack now and Prabhsimran starts the over with a single.

Connolly is then put down by Ashok on his follow through as he fails to hold onto the ball.

A wide later, Connolly smokes the ball flat over deep point for a six!

A single later, Prabhsimran cuts the ball through point for a four to bring up Punjab's 50. 13 come off the over.

22:04

Rabada slammed for 19 runs

PBKS 10-1 (2 ovs) vs GT 162-6 | Scorecard

Rabada continues and he starts with a full ball and Prabhsimram thumps the ball over cow corner for a six!

Short and wide next and the batter edges it hard past third man for a six!

A dot later, Prabhsimran gets a single.

A dot later, Connolly ends the over with a six over long-off as 19 come off the over.

Siraj continues and after a dot, Connolly takes a single to sweeper cover.

Prabhsimran takes a single off an inside edge.

Connolly then gets a couple as he clears the infield and Rabada dives to keep it down to a couple.

Connolly slogs it past mid-on and mid-wicket for a four as 8 come off it.

21:51

Rabada removes Arya

PBKS 10-1 (2 ovs) vs GT 162-6 | Scorecard

Cooper Connolly is the new man in and he starts with a dot.

Connolly is off the mark with a slice down to deep backward point for a single.

Prabhsimran gets off the mark with a single.

A single to the off side to end the over as 3 runs and a wicket come off it.

Rabada opens at the other end and he angles it across Arya and he is beaten on the outside edge.

Short ball and on the middle stump and Arya goes for the pull but mistimes it straight to the man who settles under the ball at mid-wicket and he is out for 7.

Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh come out to chase 163 while Mohammed Siraj opens the bowling for Gujarat.

After three dots, Arya is off the mark with a six over deep extra cover.

A single to end the over as 7 come off it.

21:34

Vyshak gets three wickets

GT 162-6 (20 ovs) vs PBKS | Scorecard.

A disciplined bowling effort helped Punjab Kings restrict former champions Gujarat Titans to 162 for six in an Indian Premier League match in Chandigarh on Tuesday.

Superb bowling from Punjab as just 34 runs were given in the last 5 overs.

Vijaykumar Vyshak (3/34) was the most successful bowler with three wickets, while Yuzvendra Chahal (2/28) and Marco Jansen (1/20) snared two and one respectively after PBKS opted to bowl.

For GT, skipper Shubman Gill (39), Jos Buttler (38), Glenn Phillips (25) and Washington Sundar (18) scored bulk of the runs.

Rashid Khan is the new man in.

Arshdeep back in the attack to bowl the final over and he starts with a wide.

And after two dots, Tewatia comes across the stumps and pulls it to short fine leg for a four! No ball for height.

Bouncer again and wide called. A wide and a single to Rashid next. A wide later, Tewatia pulls the ball to backward square leg for a single.

Wide ball again and one ball left for the innings to end. Wide again and this time the yorker is on the leg side. Punjab review the wide and the third umpire makes the umpire reverse the decision as 12 come off it. GT put on 162 for 6 in their 20 overs.

Rahul Tewatia is the new man in and after a dot, he gets off the mark with a couple to deep extra cover.

He gets another couple to the leg side before the umpire gives the next ball wide for height. Punjab review and lose it after third umpire takes nearly 5 mins to give his decision as the wide decision holds.

Tewatia then takes a single before Shahrukh tries to go under the yorker only to find Arshdeep at deep square leg and he is out for 4 off 6. Vyshak gets his third. Two wickets and 6 runs come in the over.

Vyshak is back in the attack and he strikes first ball as Sundar slaps the ball only to hole out to deep point to be dismissed for 18 off 16.

21:06

Runs coming at a premium

GT 144-4 (18 ovs) vs PBKS | Scorecard

Bartlett is back in the attack and Shahrukh Khan starts the over with a single.

A wide later, a lovely yorker and Sundar squeezes it to the off side.

Sundar is beaten by the slower ball.

Full and on leg next and Sundar just flicks it to backward square leg for a four. A boundary after three overs!

Sundar then mistimes a slog and it falls in no man's land.

Bartlett then goes full stretch and saves a single as just 7 runs come in the over.

Chahal is substituted by Impact sub Priyansh Arya.

Jansen is back in the attack for his final over. Sundar and Shahrukh take a single each off the first four balls as the bowler gives nothing away.

A dot later, Sundar cuts the ball to extra cover for a couple as just 6 runs come in the 17th over! Jansen finishes with 1 for 20 in his 4 overs.

20:55

Can GT put on 180 on the board?

GT 131-4 (16 ovs) vs PBKS | Scorecard

Shahrukh Khan is the new man in and he is off the mark with a single to long-on.

Sundar ends the over with a single to the off side as a wicket and just 3 runs come off it.

Chahal is back in the attack and will bowl his final over.

Sundar starts the over with a drive to long-off for a single.

Two dots next as Chahal gets a little turn as he bowls it on the legs.

Buttler then swings across as he looks to loft it over long on but Bartlett times his jump to perfection as he catches the ball on the jump and Buttler is out for 38.

Washington Sundar is the new man in.

Arshdeep is back in the attack and Buttler starts the over with a single to sweeper cover.

Sundar gets off the mark with a couple before creaming the ball through covers for a four!

Two dots later, Arshdeep bowls a wide for height.

Sundar then pulls the ball to deep mid-wicket for a single as 9 come off it.

20:43

GT batter done in by slower delivery

GT 119-3 (14 ovs) vs PBKS | Scorecard

Only 46 runs have come in the last 6 overs.

Vyshak is back in the attack and Phillips starts the over with a single to the off side.

As the wind grows stronger, the bowler is stopped in his stride as some dust has flown into the bowler's eyes.

A slower ball next and Buttler slaps it past cover point for a four!

Phillips then drives the ball hard to long off and Jansen dives to stop the ball from going to the boundary. 2 runs conceded.

Phillips lofts the next one towards long off again and Jansen again keeps it down to 2 runs.

Phillips then cuts the slower ball past deep point for another couple.

Pace-off ball again. fuller and Phillips lofts it to Jansen in the deep and Phillips is out for 25 off 17. Vyshak gets his first as his slower balls do the trick. A wicket and 8 runs come in the over.

Bartlett is back in the attack and Phillips starts the over with a single to long-on.

A dot later, Buttler thumps the short and wide ball over mid-on for a six!

Buttler then takes a single to long-on.

A dot and a single to Phillips to end the over as 9 come off it.

20:32

Runs flow for GT

GT 102-2 (12 ovs) vs PBKS | Scorecard

Chahal continues and Phillps holds his shape, plays it through the line and lofts it hard down the ground and into the sightscreen for a six!

Phillips gets a single to mid-wicket.

The next ball holds into the surface, Buttler gets a leading edge and the ball goes towards Chahal who goes parallel to the ground but cannot get his hand to it.

Buttler then gets a single to cover point for a single before Phillips plays the ball past a flying Shreyas as cover for a four! 100 up for GT.

A single to end the over as 13 come off it.

Jansen is back in the attack and he keeps it tight as he concedes just 5 singles in the over.

20:23

Gill out for 39

GT 84-2 (10 ovs) vs PBKS | Scorecard

Phillips is the new man in, after a dot, he is off the mark with a single to long-off. A dot to end the successful over for Chahal as a wicket and 8 runs come off it.

Chahal continues and he starts with a wide down the off stump.

Tossed up ball next and Gill goes inside out over cover for a four!

Gill then gets a couple as he slogs it to mid-wicket.

Gill goes on his knees, looks to slog sweep, mishits it only to hole out to the man at deep mid-wicket and he is out for 39 off 27.

Bartlett is in the attack now and after two dots, Buttler plays the ball to covers and scampers for a tight single as Stoinis takes aim and misses the stumps.

Full ball again and he plays it to the bowler for a dot. Gill then takes a single to long on for a single.

Buttler then gets across the stumps and scoops it to fine leg for a four as 6 come off it.

20:12

Butter-Gill in the groove

GT 70-1 (8 ovs) vs PBKS | Scorecard

Leggie Chahal in the attack now and Buttler punches the ball to long off for a single.

A dot later, Gill goes for the sweep, only to get a single to short fine leg, leg byes given.

Buttler then plays the ball to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Gill then slaps the ball to deep extra cover for a single.

Buttler then gets a single to long off as four come off the over.

Vyshak continues and Buttler and Gill take a single each off the first two balls.

Buttler then lofts the ball down the ground for a six! A slower ball in the slot and Buttler makes the most of it.

Buttler misses the pull, the ball goes to the keeper. Gill sends Buttler back but the keeper overthrows, gifts the batters a single. Leg bye given.

A dot later, Gill pulls the ball to deep mid-wicket for a couple as 11 come off it.

20:02

GT fightback after early wicket

GT 54-1 (6 ovs) vs PBKS | Scorecard

Jansen continues, comes over the wicket, pace off ball and Buttler clips it to the leg side for a single.

Gill then plays the ball to mid-off for a quick single.

Buttler then digs out the yorker before he plays the short and wide ball past backward point as the fielder fails to keep it from going to the boundary. 50 up for GT.

A dot later, Jansen bowls a yorker that Buttler digs out towards the off side and scampers for a single as 7 come off it.

Vijaykumar Vyshak is in the attack now and after a dot, Gill plays the fullish ball to square on the off side for a single.

Buttler is off the mark as he stands and drives on the up and punches the ball through covers for four!

Buttler then takes a single to the backward square leg.

Gill is then beaten by pace as he tries to pull the short ball off the front foot.

Gill then makes room and hits it up and over the backward point region for a four as 10 runs come off it.

19:52

Sudharsan out for 13

GT 37-1 vs PBKS (4 ovs) | Scorecard

Buttler is the new man in and he clips it to mid-wicket for a dot.

Buttler plays the next ball to backward point for another dot as just two runs and a wicket come off it.

Marco Jansen in the attack now and Sudharsan plays the leg side ball to square leg for a single.

Gill then knocks the ball around for a single.

Sudharsan then tries to lap it past short third but the ball falls short of the fielder.

Jansen strikes next ball. He goes full, Sudharsan tries to play it over mid-off, bat face closes and the ball flies to mid-off and he is caught out for 13 off 11.

Arshdeep continues and the short ball is pulled over mid-wicket for a four! Sudharsan starts the over nicely.

A dot later, Sudharsan takes a single to cover-point.

A wide later, Gill comes down the track and the top edge flies over the keeper for a four!

A dot later, clips the short and leg side ball for a couple to backward square leg as 12 come off it.

19:41

Boundaries flowing for Gill

GT 23-0 vs PBKS (2 ovs) | Scorecard

Xavier Bartlett in the attack now and Sudharsan starts the over with a single.

Gill then clips the ball through mid-wicket for his first four of the night.

Back-to-back fours for Gill as he makes room and lofts the ball over mid-on for another four.

Gill and Sudharsan take a single each off the next two balls before Gill ends the over with a four through mid-wicket as 14 come off it.

Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill open the batting for GT while Arshdeep opens the attack for Punjab Kings.

Arshdeep starts with a length ball that Sudharsan guides down to third man for a single.

Gill is off the mark with a single to the leg side.

A wide later, Sudarsan gets tickles the ball down past short fine leg for a four!

Arshdeep then gets the next one to swing into the batter and he hits it to mid-wicket for a dot.

Sudharsan then takes a single as he plays it down to backward point.

Gill then taps the ball down to cover and scampers for a single as 9 come off the opening over.

19:26

Gill and Shreyas, two Indian T20 players seek to prove their mettle in high-stakes opener

Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer has won the toss and elected to bowl against Gujarat Titans on Tuesday.

Cooper Connolly, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen and Xavier Bartlett are the four foreign players in the Punjab Playing XI.

GT have two debutants in Ashok Sharma and Glenn Phillips.

Arshdeep Singh vs Shubman Gill will be a battle to watch out for!

Playing XIs:

Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal

Gujarat Titans: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, M Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Ashok Sharma, Mohammed Siraj

IMPACT SUBS:

Punjab Kings: Priyansh Arya, Harpreet Brar, Praveen Dubey, Vishnu Vinod, Suryansh Shedge

Gujarat Titans Impact subs: Prasidh Krishna, Jason Holder, Jayant Yadav, Manav Suthar, Kumar Kushagra

India's leading batters Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer who have often been overlooked in the T20 format, will captain Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings respectively with both eager to make a statement in a high-stakes IPL 2026 opener in Chandigarh on Tuesday.

India's Test and ODI captain Gill, who was named T20I vice-captain but later left out of the T20 World Cup team following a poor run with the bat, has a lot to answer in the shortest format.

While India went on to win a record third ICC T20 World Cup, Gill enters this season at a crucial phase in his T20 career.

Since 2023, only Virat Kohli has scored more IPL runs than Gill, but the focus has shifted from consistency to strike rate. With a career T20 strike rate of around 138, Gill showed signs of improvement last season, scoring at over 155-something he would look to build on.

With Matthew Hayden now part of the coaching staff as batting coach, Gill's six-hitting and intent at the top will be closely watched.

Since Hardik Pandya's exit after IPL 2023, Gill has grown into his leadership role, and the team now clearly revolves around him.

Gujarat Titans' Strengths And Strategy

Having won the title in their debut season in 2022, Gujarat Titans have remained one of the most consistent sides, finishing third last year before losing to Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator.

They look one of the most settled units again, retaining 20 players. The opening pair of Gill and Sai Sudharsan -- last season's top scorer with 759 runs -- remains their biggest strength.

Sudharsan is returning after a rib fracture but was in fine touch in domestic cricket, including an unbeaten 101 and multiple fifties before the injury.

GT also have exciting backup options like wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra, who impressed in domestic cricket with a strike rate of over 160 and an average above 60 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He would offer flexibility if the middle order struggles.

Punjab Kings' Strengths And Weaknesses

For Punjab Kings, much will again depend on skipper Shreyas, a proven IPL leader who has now taken three different teams to the final (Delhi Capitals in 2020, KKR in their 2024 triumph and PBKS last season).

Despite his consistent performances, Shreyas continues to be overlooked by the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee, having last played a T20I in December 2023.

The skipper also led from the front last season, scoring 604 runs at a strike rate of over 175, which was the highest among the top-10 run-getters.

Yet, he failed to break into India's T20I XI in the Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup, even after being called up as a replacement for Tilak Varma during the build-up home series against New Zealand ahead of the global showpiece.

Punjab's strength lies in their explosive Indian core.

Openers Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya were among the most destructive pairs last season, scoring 1,024 runs together at a strike rate of nearly 169.

However, both have had a relatively quiet Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, raising questions about their current form.

The middle order, featuring Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh and Suryansh Shedge, will be crucial, especially against a strong spin attack led by Rashid Khan.

PBKS will also have a new No. 3 in Australia's Cooper Connolly as a replacement for Josh Inglis, who was released ahead of IPL 2026 due to availability issues.

Connolly is expected to play as a specialist batter initially, as Cricket Australia has advised him to avoid bowling while recovering from a back problem.

Head-to-Head Record

Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans are level in head to head record at 3-3. Punjab Kings won the only clash between the two teams last season when they won by 11 runs in Ahmedabad.

Pitch Report And Weather

Punjab will also be keen to improve their home record as, despite reaching the final last season, they had only two wins in five matches in New Chandigarh last year.

The pitch at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Stadium is likely to be a balanced pitch with scores expected to be in the range of 180-200. The temperature is likely to be pleasant around 28 degrees celcius with teams likely to opt to bowl first as dew could hamper in the bowlers in the second innings.

IPL 2026, PBKS vs GT Updates: Connolly stars as Punjab beat GT by 3 wickets

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