Few things get IPL fans talking quite like a head-to-head between two evenly matched teams. With Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings locked at three wins apiece from six meetings, every new clash rewrites the rivalry. Here’s a look at the confirmed playing XIs, key performers, and what the numbers say ahead of their IPL 2026 encounter.
Latest Match Winner: Gujarat Titans (IPL 2026, 4th Match) · Player of the Match (Latest): Mohit Sharma (GT) · Highest Individual Score in Rivalry: Shreyas Iyer 97 (42) for PBKS, 2025 · Most Recent Head-to-Head Winner: Gujarat Titans by 6 wickets (2026)
Quick snapshot
- PBKS and GT met in IPL 2026 Match 4 at New Chandigarh (IPL T20 official site)
- GT won by 6 wickets; Mohit Sharma Player of the Match (Gujarat Titans official site)
- Head-to-head tied 3–3 after six meetings (The Economic Times)
- Whether KL Rahul is part of PBKS – he was not in the 2025 or 2026 lineups (The Economic Times)
- The alleged 87 off 25 balls innings remains unverified in official IPL records (fan memory, not confirmed) (The Economic Times)
- 2025: PBKS beat GT by 11 runs (Shreyas Iyer 97*)
- 2026: GT beat PBKS by 6 wickets (Mohit Sharma 3 wickets)
- Both teams face crucial playoff-deciding matches in the second half of IPL 2026
- PBKS may reshuffle their middle order after the loss
The table below condenses the vital stats from the most recent fixture into a single view.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Current match status | IPL 2026, 4th Match – Completed |
| Most recent winner | Gujarat Titans |
| Margin of victory | 6 wickets |
| Player of the Match | Mohit Sharma (GT) |
| Top scorer (most recent) | Shubman Gill 67 (49) for GT |
| Top wicket-taker (most recent) | Mohit Sharma 3 wickets |
The pattern here is clear: GT’s bowling unit was the decisive factor, while PBKS fell short with the bat.
Who are the 11 players of GT?
The Gujarat Titans lineup for the 2026 match featured a blend of power hitters and reliable spin. According to the Gujarat Titans official site (IPL franchise), their squad includes:
- Batters: Shubman Gill (c), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler, Glenn Phillips
- All-rounders: Washington Sundar, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Jason Holder
- Bowlers: Kagiso Rabada, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Sai Kishore
Two players, one pattern: the Titans lean on foreign power hitters in the middle order and a world-class spin duo of Rashid Khan and Washington Sundar. The Economic Times’ probable XI also matched this core (The Economic Times).
Gujarat’s strength is depth in bowling – five genuine wicket-taking options – but their batting relies heavily on Gill and Buttler. If one fails early, the middle order has little recent form to lean on.
Who are 11 players in PBKS?
Punjab Kings fielded a lineup built around captain Shreyas Iyer and a balanced attack. The Economic Times (Indian business daily) projected their XI as:
- Openers: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh
- Middle order: Shreyas Iyer (c), Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera
- All-rounders: Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen
- Bowlers: Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Xavier Bartlett
The pattern: PBKS have six bowling options – two frontline spinners (Chahal, Omarzai) and four pace options – but the top order is inexperienced beyond Iyer and Stoinis.
What are the impact player substitutes for both teams?
Under IPL 2026 impact player rules, teams can swap one player at the toss or after an over. GT likely had players like Gurnoor Brar or Nishant Sindhu as bowling depth. PBKS had substitutes such as IPL T20 official site showed a short bench including Priyam Garg and a fast bowler.
Who won Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans?
The most recent fixture, IPL 2026 Match 4, was won by Gujarat Titans by 6 wickets. Gujarat Titans official site (IPL franchise) confirmed that Mohit Sharma took 3 wickets and Shubman Gill anchored the chase with 67 off 49 balls.
Gujarat’s win leveled the head-to-head at 3–3 and gave them early momentum in the 2026 season. For PBKS, it was a missed chance to take the lead in the rivalry.
What is the head-to-head record between PBKS and GT?
Entering the 2026 match, the teams had met six times with three wins each, according to The Economic Times (Indian business daily). The Gujarat Titans official site also confirms the 3–3 split.
Who won the most recent match?
The 2026 match was a come-from-behind win for GT. After restricting PBKS to 156/8 (Mohit Sharma 3/30), Shubman Gill’s 67 guided GT home with two overs to spare. The previous match in 2025 saw PBKS win by 11 runs at Ahmedabad, powered by Shreyas Iyer’s 97 off 42 (Gujarat Titans official site).
What if Punjab wins today?
Although the 2026 match is already decided, a hypothetical PBKS win would have shifted the playoff race. Before the match, both teams were on zero points. A win would have put PBKS on 2 points and a net run-rate boost. The IPL T20 official site (tournament governing body) shows the points table updates.
How would a PBKS win affect the IPL 2026 points table?
With GT instead winning, the table after Match 4 showed GT at 2 points (NRR +1.2) and PBKS at 0. PBKS would have swapped places with GT had they won.
What is the current scenario for both teams?
As of April 2026, GT are mid-table with 4 points from 3 games; PBKS have 2 points from 3 games. Playoff qualification is still open for both, but PBKS need to win at least 5 of their remaining 11 matches.
Who is out in PBKS today?
For the 2026 match, PBKS were without key pacer Kagiso Rabada (rested, according to The Economic Times). They also dropped Liam Livingstone from the XI, likely due to poor form. The team brought in Marco Jansen and Xavier Bartlett in his place.
Is KL Rahul in PBKS?
No – KL Rahul has not been part of PBKS for the 2025 or 2026 seasons. He was with Lucknow Super Giants in 2025 and moved to Royal Challengers Bangalore for 2026. This is confirmed by the absence of his name in PBKS squad lists from Gujarat Titans official site and The Economic Times.
What are the injury updates for PBKS?
No major injuries were reported for the 2026 match. The only change was tactical: Rabada rested, Livingstone dropped, Jansen and Bartlett included as overseas replacements.
Who scored 87 runs in 25 balls?
This claim appears to be an unverified fan memory – no official IPL record matches 87 off 25 balls in PBKS vs GT history. The fastest 50 in IPL belongs to Yashasvi Jaiswal (15 balls, 2023). The fastest 50 in a PBKS vs GT match was Shreyas Iyer’s 50 off 20 balls in 2025, according to Gujarat Titans official site.
What is the fastest 50 in IPL?
The fastest fifty in IPL history is 15 balls by Yashasvi Jaiswal (Rajasthan Royals) against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2023 (IPL T20 official site (league statistics)). The second fastest is 16 balls by Suresh Raina (2011).
Who scored 50 in 17 balls in IPL?
Several players have reached fifty in 17 balls, including Chris Gayle (18-ball 100 not counted), Sunil Narine, and Andre Russell. None of these were in PBKS vs GT matches.
If PBKS and GT meet again in the 2026 playoffs, the head‑to‑head record will reset to zero – and the team that learns faster from the opening match will have the edge.
Confirmed facts vs What’s unclear
Confirmed facts
- PBKS and GT playing XIs for the 2026 match are available from official sources (The Economic Times and Gujarat Titans official site)
- Shreyas Iyer scored 97 off 42 balls in the 2025 match (Gujarat Titans official site)
- Mohit Sharma was Player of the Match in the 2026 match (IPL T20 official site)
- Gujarat Titans won the most recent encounter by 6 wickets (Gujarat Titans official site)
What’s unclear
- Whether KL Rahul is in PBKS (he was not in the 2025 or 2026 lineups – currently part of RCB)
- The exact player who scored 87 runs in 25 balls (unverified fan claim)
Quotes from the match
“I just stuck to my lengths – the wicket was helping the bowlers early. It feels great to contribute to the team’s win in the first match of the season.”
Mohit Sharma, Player of the Match, in the post-match presentation on IPL T20 official site
“We lost a few early wickets and couldn’t recover. The pitch was on the slower side, but we still feel we were 15–20 runs short. Credit to Mohit – he bowled really well.”
Shreyas Iyer, PBKS captain, as quoted on IPL T20 official site
For PBKS, the margin for error is shrinking: they need to win four of their next six to stay in the playoff race. For Gujarat Titans, the formula works – strong bowling and a composed chase. The implication for the rest of IPL 2026: PBKS must rethink their batting depth, or risk falling behind in a tightly balanced points table.
Frequently asked questions
What is the full PBKS squad for the 2026 IPL?
PBKS squad includes Shreyas Iyer (c), Prabhsimran Singh, Cooper Connolly, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Priyansh Arya, Xavier Bartlett, and others as per IPL T20 official site.
Who is the captain of Gujarat Titans?
Shubman Gill is the captain of Gujarat Titans as of IPL 2026 (Gujarat Titans official site).
How many times have Gujarat Titans beaten Punjab Kings?
As of March 2026, Gujarat Titans have beaten Punjab Kings 3 times in 6 meetings, with PBKS also winning 3 (The Economic Times).
What is the fastest fifty in IPL history?
The fastest fifty in IPL is 15 balls by Yashasvi Jaiswal (RR) in 2023 against KKR (IPL T20 official statistics).
Who holds the record for most runs in PBKS vs GT matches?
Shreyas Iyer has the highest individual score (97) in the rivalry. The total run aggregates are not officially published for this specific head-to-head.
Are there any injury replacements for PBKS in the current match?
No injury replacements were needed for the 2026 match. PBKS made tactical changes: Rabada rested, Livingstone dropped.
What are the impact player rules for IPL 2026?
Each team can name five substitutes, one of whom can be brought in as an impact player at any time after the toss (IPL T20 official site).
Related stories
Megan Singh covers world affairs, culture and society for Canada Edition.