Punjab Kings take on Gujarat Titans in an important early IPL 2026 match, with focus clearly on captains Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill. Both were top performers last season but haven’t had the best time in T20 cricket since then.
Iyer had a strong IPL 2025, scoring 604 runs at a strike rate of 175 and even leading teams to finals in recent years. Gill was just as impressive, scoring 650 runs at a strike rate above 155 and continuing his run as one of the most consistent IPL batters since 2020. He also led Gujarat Titans to the knockouts and has a title win from 2022 plus a final appearance in 2023.
But things changed after that. Gill struggled in international T20s, playing 15 matches without a single fifty and falling behind players like Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan in selection. Iyer, on the other hand, hasn’t played any T20 match since the IPL 2025 final due to injuries and limited chances in India’s middle order.
PBKS vs GT Indian Premier League 2026: What to expect?
For Gujarat Titans, Gill and Sai Sudharsan were one of the best pairs last season. They added 912 runs together in IPL 2025, which is among the highest ever for a pair. Gill scored 650 runs, while Sudharsan went even bigger with 759 runs and won the Orange Cap. Both scored at a strike rate above 155 and played a big role in taking GT to the playoffs.
On the other side, Punjab Kings also had a strong opening pair. Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya added 532 runs together, which is the most ever for an uncapped opening pair in a season. Both scored over 450 runs and kept a strike rate above 160.
Their approach is more aggressive because PBKS has a strong middle order behind them. In 17 matches last season, one of them scored 40+ in 15 games, and PBKS won 11 of those matches. That shows how important their starts were.
PBKS vs GT IPL 2026: Predicted Playing 11
The Predicted Lineup for PBKS and GT in the IPL 2026 is as follows:
| PBKS (Probable XI) | GT (Probable XI) |
| Priyansh Arya | Shubman Gill (capt) |
| Prabhsimran Singh (wk) | B Sai Sudharsan |
| Cooper Connolly | Jos Buttler (wk) |
| Shreyas Iyer (capt) | Washington Sundar |
| Marcus Stoinis | Glenn Phillips |
| Nehal Wadhera | M Shahrukh Khan |
| Shashank Singh | Rahul Tewatia |
| Marco Jansen | Jason Holder / Kagiso Rabada |
| Xavier Bartlett / Ben Dwarshuis | Rashid Khan |
| Arshdeep Singh | Prasidh Krishna |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | Mohammed Siraj |
PBKS vs GT Live IPL 2026: Where to watch
PBKS vs GT match will be played at the New PCA Stadium. This is match number 4 of IPL 2026. The game will start at 7:30 PM IST, while the toss will take place at 7:00 PM IST.
Fans can watch PBKS vs GT live on TV on Star Sports network channels in India. For online streaming, the match will be available on JioHotstar app and website.
FAQs
Q. Which teams are playing in this match?
A. Punjab Kings are playing against Gujarat Titans.
Q. Who are the captains to watch in this game?
A. The focus is on Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill.
Q. How did Shubman Gill perform last IPL season?
A. He scored 650 runs at a strike rate above 155 and helped his team reach the playoffs.
Q. Which opening pair was strong for Gujarat Titans?
A. Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan added 912 runs together.
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