Transient Rating: Punjab Kings (165/7 in 19.2 ov) beat Gujarat Titans (162/6) by three wickets in Mullanpur.
Cooper Connolly delivered a debut to recollect, producing a composed 44-ball 72* to steer Punjab Kings to a tense three-wicket win over Gujarat Titans of their IPL 2026 opener in Mullanpur. The 22-year-old Australian held the innings collectively in a tough chase of 163, retaining his composure as wickets fell in clusters round him and guaranteeing PBKS stayed on track when the sport threatened to float.
PBKS vs GT, IPL 2026: Highlights | rating card
The early sample of IPL 2026 continued, with the chasing facet and the workforce profitable the toss, making it 4 wins in 4. But, not like the earlier easy chases, this one examined Punjab’s nerve. A late wobble briefly swung the momentum Gujarat’s approach, however Connolly’s calm presence proved decisive as PBKS scraped by within the first actual thriller of the season.
PBKS didn’t get off to the perfect begin as Kagiso Rabada cramped Priyansh Arya for room with tempo and accuracy, dismissing the opener early. The ball, delivered at 142 kph, climbed into Arya’s physique and rushed him on the pull, with debutant Ashok Sharma finishing a advantageous catch at midwicket.
Chasing 164 for a season-opening win, Punjab had been jolted early, however Rabada’s subsequent over proved pricey. As soon as he pitched it up, he was taken aside for 3 sixes, together with one off a slower ball, because the strain briefly shifted.
On the different finish, Cooper Connolly and Prabhsimran Singh rebuilt well, choosing the proper balls to assault. Their strokeplay was assured, highlighted by Connolly’s crisp slash over cowl off Ashok Sharma. Prabhsimran survived an LBW name on evaluate and shortly launched a spinner over long-on, with Connolly following go well with to take Punjab to seven sixes inside eight overs, in comparison with Gujarat’s three of their complete innings.
Rashid Khan then turned the tide. Prabhsimran, trying set, stepped out to assault however holed out, managing simply two runs off eight balls towards the leg-spinner. That wicket triggered a collapse.
With 54 wanted off 47 balls and a light-weight drizzle setting in, Punjab started to lose their approach. Nehal Wadhera fell making an attempt an bold loft, Shashank Singh was caught behind off Prasidh Krishna, and Marcus Stoinis adopted quickly after, guiding a brief ball to deep third. 4 wickets fell for simply eight runs in 16 balls as Punjab slipped to 118 for 5, with Gujarat shifting forward on DLS.
Shreyas Iyer briefly countered with two sixes off Ashok Sharma however fell quickly after, flicking Prasidh to deep midwicket. Washington Sundar and Prasidh tightened the squeeze as Gujarat clawed again into the competition. Amid the collapse, Connolly introduced up a 34-ball fifty and steadied nerves with a six off Rabada. Marco Jansen chipped in with a six however struggled for fluency earlier than falling to Ashoka.
With 16 wanted off the ultimate two overs and solely three wickets in hand, the sport hung within the stability. Prasidh’s penultimate over, nonetheless, went for 14, courtesy of a boundary from Bartlett and a six from Connolly, shifting the momentum decisively.
Connolly then completed it off in type, holding his nerve to information Punjab dwelling in a tense end. The younger Australian struck 5 sixes and 5 fours in a match-winning 72.
CHAHAL, VYSHAK RESTRICT GT
Earlier, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal introduced his expertise to the fore to manage the center overs and assist limit Gujarat Titans to 162 for six on batting floor. Chahal returned figures of two for 28 in 4 overs, whereas seamer Vijaykumar Vyshak claimed 3 for 34.
Skipper Gill scored 39 off 27 balls and Jos Buttler made 38 off 33, the 2 fundamental contributors in an in any other case subdued batting effort.
Despatched in to bat, Gill started fluently, dealing in boundaries as Gujarat raced to 35 in three overs. He seemed in glorious contact, choosing the gaps at will and scoring at a brisk fee, forcing Punjab captain Shreyas Iyer to make an early change and introduce Marco Jansen.
The transfer paid off instantly as Jansen had Sai Sudharsan caught at mid-off. Sudharsan tried to loft the ball over mid-on however sliced it straight to Iyer, handing Punjab a much-needed breakthrough within the fourth over.
That introduced Buttler to the crease, and the England batsman obtained off the mark in type, driving Vijaykumar Vyshak by the covers for a boundary. The shot appeared to settle him. He adopted it with a reduce by backward level off Jansen after which struck the primary six of the match, lofting Vyshak straight down the bottom after the seamer didn’t execute a slower ball.
Gujarat ended the powerplay at 54 for 1, with Punjab pulling issues again after conceding freely within the first three overs.
Chahal got here into the assault within the eighth over and continued his sturdy file towards Gill. Having dismissed him 3 times in earlier IPL conferences, he added one other because the Gujarat captain holed out to deep midwicket after being deceived by a barely slower supply that didn’t journey far sufficient.
Glenn Phillips counterattacked briefly, hanging Chahal over long-on for a six, whereas Buttler additionally cleared mid-on off a brief ball from Xavier Bartlett. Nonetheless, Punjab tightened their grip by the center overs and ensured Gujarat by no means absolutely broke free.
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