The fourth match of IPL 2026 (PBKS vs GT) delivered a classic nail-biter at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh PCA Stadium. In a high-stakes encounter, the Punjab Kings (PBKS) managed to edge past the Gujarat Titans (GT) by 3 wickets, chasing down a target of 163 with just five balls to spare. The night belonged to debutant Cooper Connolly, whose composed unbeaten half-century turned the tide for the home side.
Match Overview: PBKS vs GT, Match 4
- Result: PBKS won by 3 wickets (with 5 balls to spare)
- Target: 163 runs
- Player of the Match: Cooper Connolly 72*(44)
- Venue: Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, New Chandigarh
- Official Website: IPLT20
Match Summary of PBKS vs GT: A Rollercoaster at Mullanpur
Punjab Kings won the toss and elected to bowl first, a decision that initially seemed to pay dividends as their bowlers kept the Titans in check. Despite a solid foundation from GT skipper Shubman Gill (39 off 27) and Jos Buttler (38 off 29), the Titans’ middle order struggled to accelerate against a disciplined Punjab attack. Vijaykumar Vyshak was the pick of the bowlers, derailing GT’s momentum with figures of 3/34.
Chasing 163, Punjab faced an uphill battle after losing early wickets to a fiery spell by Prasidh Krishna (3/29). However, the young Australian Cooper Connolly played the innings of a lifetime on his IPL debut. Scoring 72 off 44 balls*, including 5 fours and 5 sixes, Connolly remained ice-cool under pressure, eventually hitting the winning boundary off Washington Sundar in the final over.
PBKS vs GT IPL 2026 – Full Scorecard
1st Innings: Gujarat Titans (GT)
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Shubman Gill (C) | c Wadhera b Chahal | 39 | 27 | 4 | 1 | 144.44 |
| Jos Buttler | c Bartlett b Jansen | 38 | 29 | 3 | 2 | 131.03 |
| Glenn Phillips | c & b Vyshak | 25 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 138.89 |
| Washington Sundar | c Arya b Vyshak | 18 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 120.00 |
| Rashid Khan | not out | 12 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 120.00 |
| Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore | c & b Vyshak | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Shahrukh Khan | not out | 11 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 122.22 |
| Extras | (lb 5, w 14) | 19 | ||||
| Total | (20 Overs) | 162/6 |
Did not bat: Prasidh Krishna, Kagiso Rabada, Sandeep Sharma.
PBKS Bowling:
Bowler Overs Runs Wickets Economy
Arshdeep Singh 4 42 0 10.5
Xavier Bartlett 4 36 0 9
Marco Jansen 4 20 1 5
Vijaykumar Vyshak 4 34 3 8.5
Yuzvendra Chahal 4 28 2 7
2nd Innings: Punjab Kings (PBKS)
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Prabhsimran Singh | c Krishna b Rashid | 37 | 24 | 1 | 4 | 154.17 |
| P Arya (Impact Player) | c Sharma b Rabada | 7 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 87.50 |
| Cooper Connolly | not out | 72 | 44 | 5 | 5 | 163.64 |
| Shreyas Iyer (C) | c Sundar b Krishna | 18 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 163.64 |
| Nehal Wadhera | c Phillips b Krishna | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 25.00 |
| Marco Jansen | c Gill b Sharma | 9 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 90.00 |
| Harpreet Brar | c Rashid b Krishna | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | c Sundar b Sharma | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Xavier Bartlett | not out | 11 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 220.00 |
| Extras | (lb 4, w 6) | 10 | ||||
| Total | (19.1 Overs) | 165/7 |
GT Bowling:
Bowler Overs Runs Wickets Economy
Mohammed Siraj 2 15 0 7.5
Kagiso Rabada 3 34 1 11.33
Ashok Sharma 3 31 1 10.33
Rashid Khan 4 29 1 7.25
Washington Sundar 3.1 27 1 8.52
Key Highlights & Turning Points of the match PBKS vs GT
- Connolly’s Arrival: Entering a pressured situation, Cooper Connolly’s ability to find boundaries at crucial moments silenced the GT bowlers.
- Vyshak’s Middle Overs: Vijaykumar Vyshak’s three-wicket haul prevented GT from reaching a projected 180+ score.
- The Final Over: With PBKS needing a few runs to win, Connolly drove Washington Sundar through the covers for a boundary to seal the game.
Player of the Match of PBKS vs GT
Cooper Connolly (PBKS) – For his match-winning 72 (44)* on IPL debut.
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