Cooper Connolly’s 72 on debut steers Punjab Kings to three-wicket win over Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026

Punjab Kings defeated Gujarat Titans by three wickets in the 4th match of the Indian Premier League 2026 season, played on 31 March 2026 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh. Australian all-rounder Cooper Connolly, playing his debut Indian Premier League innings, scored an unbeaten 72 off 44 balls to steer Punjab Kings to 165 for 7 in 19.1 overs in pursuit of Gujarat Titans’ total of 162 for 6. Vijaykumar Vyshak and Yuzvendra Chahal were the standout bowlers for Punjab Kings, taking three and two wickets respectively to restrict Gujarat Titans to a below-par total despite a composed start at the top of their batting order.

Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to bowl first. Gujarat Titans were handed a debut by pacer Ashok Sharma, while Glenn Phillips also came into the playing eleven. Gujarat Titans left out Jason Holder for the fixture. Punjab Kings fielded Cooper Connolly, Marco Jansen, Marcus Stoinis and Xavier Bartlett as their four overseas players. Gujarat Titans named Jos Buttler, Glenn Phillips, Kagiso Rabada and Rashid Khan as their overseas inclusions.

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke, speaking at the pitch report, anticipated a high-scoring game and said the toss would not make a significant difference to the outcome. Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill noted the wicket had been under covers for several days but described it as a good surface. Iyer said scores had been comfortably chased down in practice matches played at the venue, justifying his decision to bowl first.

How did Gujarat Titans bat in the first innings at New Chandigarh on 31 March 2026?

Gujarat Titans were off to a bright start, with Shubman Gill and B. Sai Sudharsan putting on 37 runs for the opening wicket. The pitch appeared flat early in the innings, with both batters finding the boundary frequently. Gill in particular was aggressive, charging down the track against pace and embracing risk. Marco Jansen provided Punjab Kings the breakthrough in the fourth over, dismissing Sai Sudharsan for 13 runs off 11 balls, caught at mid-off.

Gill was joined by Jos Buttler, with Gujarat Titans reaching 54 for 1 at the end of the powerplay. The pair continued to bat positively, with Buttler producing a composed and well-timed punch through cover in the fifth over. Punjab Kings conceded 30 runs between overs six and ten, a period that allowed Gujarat Titans to consolidate. Vyshak bowled good-to-short lengths in his early spells, but a full delivery in the seventh over was dispatched for the first six of the match.

Yuzvendra Chahal entered the bowling attack in the seventh over with Gujarat Titans well set on 65 for 1. Chahal varied his flight and line cleverly against Gill, dismissing him for the fourth time in Indian Premier League encounters. Gill attempted a slog sweep and was caught at deep midwicket for 39 runs. Jos Buttler and Glenn Phillips then took Gujarat Titans past the halfway mark, with both batters showing intent but not converting their starts into impactful innings.

Vyshak returned in the 14th over and removed Glenn Phillips, who had been looking dangerous, caught at long-off. Washington Sundar followed shortly after, dismissed by Vyshak on a knuckle ball for 18 runs off 16 balls. In the same over, Vyshak also removed Shahrukh Khan for 4 runs, reducing Gujarat Titans to a position from which a substantial total became unlikely. Buttler was dismissed by Chahal in the 16th over for 38 runs off 30 balls, caught expertly by Xavier Bartlett at long-on, who used his height and reach to take the chance cleanly. Rahul Tewatia contributed 11 not out off 10 balls in the late overs to help Gujarat Titans post 162 for 6 from their 20 overs. Vijaykumar Vyshak finished with 3 for 34 and Yuzvendra Chahal with 2 for 28.

How did Cooper Connolly and Prabhsimran Singh anchor the Punjab Kings chase against Gujarat Titans?

Punjab Kings suffered an early setback when Kagiso Rabada dismissed Priyansh Arya for 7 runs off 8 balls in the second over of the chase. Cooper Connolly came to the crease and joined Prabhsimran Singh in what proved to be the defining partnership of the match. The pair put on 76 runs for the second wicket, batting with authority to take Punjab Kings to 55 for 1 at the end of the powerplay.

Connolly was particularly impressive in his first Indian Premier League appearance, playing shots of genuine quality against high-class bowling. Shreyas Iyer, speaking after the match, described a particular shot Connolly played against Rashid Khan as surreal to watch. Prabhsimran Singh contributed 37 off 24 balls before falling to a catch at deep midwicket off Rashid Khan, ending the second-wicket stand. Punjab Kings reached the midpoint of their chase at 86 for 2 after 10 overs, requiring 77 runs from 60 balls with Connolly and Shreyas Iyer at the crease.

How did Prasidh Krishna’s collapse alter the Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans match in the second half of the chase?

Prasidh Krishna entered the bowling attack and fundamentally changed the character of the match. He dismissed Shreyas Iyer for 18 runs, with Iyer caught by Washington Sundar while attempting a big hit. Iyer had required medical attention during his innings after sustaining a hand injury but had continued to bat. Prasidh Krishna followed up by removing Nehal Wadhera, caught by Shubman Gill off Washington Sundar, then dismissed Shashank Singh, caught by Jos Buttler, and Marcus Stoinis, caught by Rashid Khan, in a devastating spell that saw Punjab Kings crash from 110 for 2 to 121 for 6.

Gujarat Titans now had genuine hope of defending their total, with Punjab Kings requiring 42 runs from 30 balls and five wickets in hand. Connolly remained at the crease throughout the collapse, refusing to surrender the innings. Ashok Sharma then dismissed Marco Jansen with 16 runs still required off 12 balls, leaving Punjab Kings needing lower-order contributions to see the chase through.

How did Cooper Connolly and Xavier Bartlett finish the chase for Punjab Kings with five balls remaining?

Cooper Connolly and Xavier Bartlett added the runs needed to complete the chase. Connolly maintained his composure throughout, rotating the strike and punishing anything loose. Bartlett provided calm support, pushing deliveries into gaps and running hard between the wickets. The winning runs came off Washington Sundar’s bowling in the 19th over, as Connolly backed away and drove through the off side to seal a three-wicket victory with five balls remaining.

Connolly finished unbeaten on 72 off 44 balls, an innings featuring five fours and five sixes. He was named Player of the Match for his debut performance. Prasidh Krishna was the pick of the Gujarat Titans bowlers with 3 for 29. Rashid Khan and Washington Sundar each contributed a wicket. Kagiso Rabada, who dismissed the first Punjab Kings wicket, finished with figures of 1 for the match. Ashok Sharma, on debut, also claimed one wicket.

What was the significance of this Indian Premier League 2026 result for Punjab Kings’ home record and the tournament’s early pattern?

The result marked a winning start to the Indian Premier League 2026 home season for Punjab Kings at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh. The match continued a notable early trend in the 2026 edition of the tournament, with the toss-winning team, the home team, and the chasing team having each won all four completed fixtures at that stage of the competition.

Punjab Kings had entered the 2026 tournament as runners-up from the 2025 season. Gujarat Titans, who had reached the playoffs in 2025 under Shubman Gill’s captaincy, were unable to convert their bowling performance in the middle overs of the chase into a victory. Gill, speaking after the match, acknowledged that 162 was below the target his team would have wanted, noting that the pitch offered less pace in the second innings than anticipated and that the ball became difficult to hit down the ground as it aged.

For Cooper Connolly, the innings represented one of the more composed Indian Premier League debut performances in recent memory. The 22-year-old Western Australian right-hander, who also bowls left-arm spin, joined Punjab Kings at the auction ahead of the 2026 season. Iyer said Connolly’s performance carried glimpses of quality that aligned with the franchise’s expectations when they signed him. Vijaykumar Vyshak, who had been a consistent performer for Punjab Kings in the 2025 season, carried forward his form with a disciplined and varied bowling display.

Key takeaways on what this Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans result means for the Indian Premier League 2026 season

• Punjab Kings defeated Gujarat Titans by three wickets at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on 31 March 2026, chasing 163 with five balls remaining.
• Cooper Connolly, playing his first Indian Premier League match, scored an unbeaten 72 off 44 balls and was named Player of the Match, steadying a chase that was derailed by Prasidh Krishna’s 3 for 29.
• Vijaykumar Vyshak returned figures of 3 for 34 and Yuzvendra Chahal claimed 2 for 28, collectively restricting Gujarat Titans to 162 for 6 despite solid starts from Shubman Gill (39), Jos Buttler (38), and Glenn Phillips.
• The result extended an early Indian Premier League 2026 trend in which the toss winner, home team, and chasing team each won all four opening fixtures of the tournament.
• Gujarat Titans, who reached the playoffs in the 2025 Indian Premier League season, were unable to defend their total despite Prasidh Krishna’s middle-innings burst, with Shubman Gill acknowledging his team fell short of an adequate first-innings score.

Match details

Gujarat Titans innings — 162 for 6 (20 overs, RR: 8.10)

Bowling

Fall of wickets

Powerplay (0.1–6 overs): 54 runs

Punjab Kings innings — 165 for 7 (19.1 overs, RR: 8.61)

Bowling

Fall of wickets

Powerplay (0.1–6 overs): 55 runs

Result: Punjab Kings 165-7 (19.1 ov) beat Gujarat Titans 162-6 (20 ov) by 3 wickets with 5 balls remaining | Player of the Match: Cooper Connolly (Punjab Kings) 72* off 44 balls