IPL 2026 4th Match Result: Punjab Kings defeated Gujarat Titans for the second consecutive year. With this victory, last season's runners-up Punjab started the new season on a winning note.
Punjab Kings, who missed out on the IPL 2025 title, started the new season with a thrilling win. Captained by Shreyas Iyer, Punjab defeated Gujarat Titans by 3 wickets in a closely fought match in their first match of IPL 2026. At their home ground in Mullanpur, Punjab achieved the target of 163 runs in the last over, thanks to a brilliant half-century from young batsman Cooper Connolly and lethal bowling from veteran spinner Yuzvendra Chahal. This was Cooper Connolly's IPL debut, and the 22-year-old played an unbeaten inning of 72 runs.
Deadly bowling by Vaishak-Chahal
The result of this match was the same as in the previous three matches of this season. The team that won the toss and bowled first again won the match. However, this time the victory was not so easy. Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer also won the toss and elected to bowl first, and with Gujarat captain Shubman Gill's explosive start, this decision seemed wrong for a while.
But then Punjab's bowlers began to apply the brakes, and Yuzvendra Chahal (2/28) and Marco Jansen (1/20) shouldered the bulk of the responsibility. Jansen took the first wicket, while Chahal provided the breakthrough by dismissing Gill (39). After that, Gujarat's other batsmen failed to contribute significantly. Jos Buttler (38) tried to accelerate the score by staying on for a while, but he too fell to Chahal. Vijaykumar Vaishak also played a key role in restricting Gujarat to 162 runs, taking three crucial wickets.
Connolly took control, then delivered the win
Punjab also had a poor start, dismissing opener Priyansh Arya in the second over off Kagiso Rabada. But as with every previous run chase, the loss of wickets didn't affect the innings. Prabhsimran Singh and debutant Connolly launched a counter-attack, putting together a 76-run partnership in 49 balls. Captain Shreyas Iyer then added some quick runs.
But with Iyer's dismissal in the 13th over, Gujarat suddenly made a comeback. Punjab lost four wickets in just 16 balls, three of them by pacer Prasidh Krishna (3/29). However, Connolly held firm at one end, reaching his half-century in 34 balls. Connolly, along with Marco Yanson and then Xavier Bartlett, formed small but crucial partnerships to guide the team to victory in 19.1 overs. Connolly remained unbeaten on 72 runs (five fours and five sixes) from 44 balls. This was Punjab's second consecutive win over Gujarat since last season.
