Runner-up from last year, the Punjab Kings (PBKS) open their 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign in match 4 against Gujarat Titans (GT) But Maharaja Yadvinder Singh International Cricket Stadium But Tuesday, March 31.
PBKS reached their second IPL final last season, but lost by six runs to Royal Challengers Bangalore in the showpiece game in Ahmedabad. The Punjab-based outfit has not made any major changes to their team, which took them to the finals in 2025. They signed only four players in the mini-auction, including Cooper Connolly and Ben Dwarshuis. The team will once again rely on the talent of their captain Shreyas Iyer as well as Arshdeep Singh to perform well and take them to another playoff spot.
GT, on the other hand, finished third last season but lost to Mumbai Indians in the first eliminator. The 2022 champions have a well-balanced squad with top quality batsmen and bowlers who have been in great form. Last season, the GT team got both the purple and orange caps in the form of Prasidh Krishna and Sai Sudarshan.
As far as unavailable players are concerned, PBKS are expected to field their best XI in the opening game of the new season. The Iyer-led side will be without Lockie Ferguson in the early stages of the campaign as he is on parental leave.
GTMeanwhile, there is no player who is currently unavailable for selection. The Ahmedabad-based team has strengthened its overseas contingent by picking up Luke Wood, Jason Holder and Tom Banton in the mini-auction.
PBKS vs GT: Match Details
| match | punjab kings vs gujarat titans,match 04ipl 2026 |
| venue | Maharaja Yadvendra Singh International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh |
| date time | Tuesday, March 31, 7:30 pm (IST) |
| Live broadcast and streaming details | JioStar Network Channels, JioHotstar (App and Website) |
PBKS vs GT: Head-to-head record
| matches played | 6 |
| PBKS won | 3 |
| won by gt | 3 |
| tie/nr | 0 |
| stability for the first time | April 08, 2022 (won GT) |
| Latest fixtures | March 25, 2025 (PBKS won) |
Pitch Report: Maharaja Yadvendra Singh International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh
The Maharaja Yadvendra Singh International Cricket Stadium offers a mixed bag when it comes to conditions for T20 games. Last year, teams easily crossed the 200-run mark, while at times they had to struggle even to reach 120. The pitch at the New Chandigarh stadium is expected to offer something for both the batsmen and bowlers, with spin usually coming into play in the latter stages of the game.
The outfield is generally on the fast side, rewarding batsmen for their well-timed shots.
PBKS vs GT: Predicted Playing XI
Punjab Kings (PBKS):
Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Cooper Connolly,Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Ben Dwarshuis, Arshdeep Singh
Impact Player: Yuzvendra Chahal
Gujarat Titans (GT):
Shubman Gill (c), Sai Sudarshan, Jos Buttler, Washington Sundar, Shahrukh Khan, Jason Holder, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
Impact Player: Sai Kishore
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