IPL 2026 Match 4 brings us one of the most anticipated opening fixtures of the season. Punjab Kings arrive at their home fortress still carrying the pain of losing the IPL 2025 final. Gujarat Titans walk in equally hungry, having been knocked out in the Eliminator by Mumbai Indians last season. Both teams have unfinished business. Both have the firepower to blow any opposition away on their day.
Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans will clash in Match 4 of IPL 2026 on March 31 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, with the toss at 7:00 PM IST and the match starting at 7:30 PM IST. For all IPL 2026 match previews, playing 11 updates and full analysis, CricThugs covers every game of the season.
Match Details
- Match: IPL 2026 Match 4, Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans
- Date: Tuesday, March 31, 2026
- Venue: Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, New Chandigarh
- Toss: 7:00 PM IST
- Match Start: 7:30 PM IST
- Live Telecast: Star Sports 2 HD and SD with English commentary
- Live Streaming: JioHotstar app and website
PBKS Probable Playing 11
- Priyansh Arya
- Prabhsimran Singh (wk)
- Nehal Wadhera
- Shreyas Iyer (c)
- Marcus Stoinis
- Shashank Singh
- Azmatullah Omarzai
- Marco Jansen
- Arshdeep Singh
- Vyshak Vijaykumar
- Yuzvendra Chahal
In the middle order, Shreyas Iyer and Marcus Stoinis carry the responsibility of stabilising the innings. Marco Jansen leads the pace attack, while Yuzvendra Chahal, the IPL’s most successful bowler, is in charge of the spin department.
Overall, PBKS look like one of the most settled sides in the tournament this season.
GT Probable Playing 11
- Shubman Gill (c)
- Sai Sudharsan
- Jos Buttler (wk)
- Washington Sundar
- Shahrukh Khan
- Rahul Tewatia
- Rashid Khan
- R Sai Kishore
- Jason Holder
- Mohammed Siraj
- Prasidh Krishna
GT have a strong batting core with Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan at the top and Jos Buttler coming in at number three. In bowling, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Kagiso Rabada are all in good form. While GT’s spinners are slightly out of form, they remain capable of presenting a tough challenge.
It is also worth noting that Prithvi Raj Yarra has been ruled out of IPL 2026 after sustaining an injury, with Kulwant Khejroliya named as his replacement for Gujarat Titans.
You can read more about Kumar Kushagra, one of the most talked-about young players heading into IPL 2026, who is part of the GT squad this season.
Mullanpur Pitch Report
The Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium at Mullanpur is a high-scoring venue that suits aggressive batters on both sides. According to sky247.net and ESPNcricinfo pitch analysis:
The average first innings score at this venue in the previous season was 170 in the six games played here, with the team batting first winning quite comfortably on four occasions. The captain winning the toss is expected to bowl first at this venue.
The match will be played on pitch number 4, the same one used in PBKS’s game against Chennai Super Kings last year, when they posted 219 on the back of an Arya century, and CSK responded with 201. Head coach Ricky Ponting, according to ESPNcricinfo, expects another high-scoring contest today.
According to reports, dew is a major factor at Mullanpur during night matches, which tends to assist the chasing side in the second innings. Spinners, however, become increasingly effective in the middle overs as the surface slows down, making Yuzvendra Chahal and Rashid Khan the most critical bowlers on either side tonight.
Head to Head Record: PBKS vs GT
There have been 6 PBKS vs GT matches in the IPL. Punjab Kings have won 3 matches and Gujarat Titans have won 3 matches, making it an evenly contested rivalry that has consistently produced quality cricket.
The last time these two sides met, in IPL 2025, Punjab Kings beat Gujarat Titans by 11 runs in a high-scoring affair. PBKS hold the slight psychological edge going into tonight’s encounter.
3 Key Battles to Watch
Battle 1: Priyansh Arya vs Mohammed Siraj
Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya played a crucial role in PBKS’s run to the IPL 2025 final. Their 532 partnership runs were the most in a season by an uncapped opening pair, and both batters scored over 450 runs at strike rates above 160. Siraj, fresh and motivated in GT colours, will want to put a stop to Arya’s powerplay dominance from ball one.
Battle 2: Yuzvendra Chahal vs Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill only strikes at 122 against Chahal and has been dismissed by him three times in their IPL history. Sai Sudharsan, however, has scored 40 runs off just 17 balls against Chahal without a single dismissal. Whether Chahal can keep Gill quiet while Sudharsan explodes at the other end is the central tactical battle of this match.
Battle 3: Rashid Khan vs Shreyas Iyer
Rashid Khan has taken 7 wickets against PBKS across his IPL career and is virtually impossible to score freely against in the middle overs. Shreyas Iyer, who has not played a T20 game since the IPL 2025 final according to ESPNcricinfo, will be looking to shake off the rust and assert himself against one of the most dangerous spinners in world cricket.
CricThugs Prediction:
PBKS to win by 15 to 20 runs.
Home ground advantage, Chahal’s record against Gill, and Arshdeep Singh’s death bowling experience give Punjab Kings the edge. But Gujarat Titans have Shubman Gill and Rashid Khan, which means no game is ever truly over until the last ball.
Lucky Raina is a complete cricket writer chasing corporate dreams by day and cricket stories by night. Once a promising Under 16 cricketer, life took him down a different pitch but the love for the game never left.
