IPL 2026: Punjab Kings Face Gujarat Titans in Fourth Match in Chandigarh

Chandigarh. The fourth match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be played today between Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans. The match will start at 7:45 PM at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium in New Chandigarh.

This will be Gujarat Titans' fifth season. The team won the title in their debut season in 2022, while the team finished fourth in the previous season. 

On the other hand, Punjab Kings are still waiting for their first title. Punjab were the runners-up in the previous season.

Seventh Clash Between Two Teams

So far, six matches have been played between Punjab and Gujarat in the IPL, with both teams winning 3 matches each. In the IPL 2025 clash, Punjab defeated Gujarat by 11 runs. The two teams faced each other once in New Chandigarh, where Gujarat defeated Punjab by 3 wickets.

Team Update: Ferguson Likely to Miss Some Matches

New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson will not be available for the initial few matches due to paternity leave. The team might give an opportunity to Xavier Bartlett or Ben Dwarshuis in the starting matches in his place.

Punjab's Squad Looks Strong This Season Too

Punjab's squad looks very strong this season as well. The team expects another good performance from the opening pair of Prabhsimran Singh and Priyamsh Arya in the top order. Captain Shreyas Iyer will come in at number three. 

The middle order will feature Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh. Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, and Azmatullah Omarzai will contribute significantly with both bat and ball.

Butler's Form a Concern for Gujarat

Gujarat Titans are hoping for excellent performances from the bats of Sai Sudharsan and captain Shubman Gill this season too. However, Jos Buttler's declining form is a concern for the team. Glenn Phillips is in good rhythm. Big names like Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, and Rahul Tewatia are included in the all-rounders. 

The team's pace attack looks formidable with the presence of Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Ishant Sharma, and Luke Wood. Meanwhile, the responsibility of the spin department will rest on Rashid Khan, who will be supported by Sai Kishore and Sundar.

Main Attraction: The Top Order of Both Teams

Gill and Sai Sudharsan shared a partnership of 912 runs in IPL 2025. They became the third pair to share 900 or more runs in the same season. Gill scored 650 runs, while Sai Sudharsan won the Orange Cap with 759 runs. 

Both batsmen scored runs at a strike rate of over 155 and played a crucial role in taking Gujarat to the playoffs. Since Gujarat still lacks a reliable middle-order batsman and Jos Buttler is in poor form, the team might again depend on its openers.

On the other hand, although they did not score as many runs as the Gill and Sudharsan pair, Prabhsimran Singh and Priyamsh Arya played a vital role in taking Punjab to the IPL final. Their 532-run partnership was the highest score by an uncapped opening pair in a single season. Both batsmen scored over 450 runs at a strike rate exceeding 160. 

Knowing they have a strong middle order behind them, they have the freedom to play aggressively from the start. In 15 out of 17 matches in IPL 2025, one of Prabhsimran or Arya crossed the 40-run mark, and Punjab won 11 matches.

The playing style of the openers for both teams differs according to their respective team structures, but both have proven very effective and could play a big role in deciding the outcome of Tuesday's match.

Pitch Report: Easy for Stroke Play

The pitch at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium is generally considered balanced, offering help to both batsmen and bowlers. Initially, the new ball might offer slight swing and bounce to the fast bowlers. As the match progresses, the pitch becomes better for batting, making it easier to play strokes.

Eleven IPL matches have been played here so far. Teams batting first have won 6 matches, and teams batting second have won 5 matches. The highest team score here is 228/5, set by Mumbai Indians against Gujarat Titans in 2025.

Possibility of Rain in Mullanpur

There is a possibility of rain in Mullanpur on Tuesday. The Meteorological Department has indicated a 25 percent chance of rain here. The temperature is expected to be between 18 and 34 degrees Celsius.

Probable Playing-12 for Both Teams

• Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh (Wicketkeeper), Priyamsh Arya, Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Mitchell Owen, Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Ben Dwarshuis.

• Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill (Captain), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (Wicketkeeper), Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Sai Kishore, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.

What Did They Say?

“Last year, the standard of our cricket was enough to stay at the top of the points table, but entering a new season, that means nothing. I talked a lot about how the team we built last year was different and played a fearless style of cricket; now we have to start all over again from zero.”

— Ricky Ponting, Head Coach of Punjab Kings

“Among the cricketers I have seen in my time, Ricky Ponting was the hardest working player. But looking at the preparation level of modern cricketers, it seems Sai Sudharsan works twice as hard as Ponting.”

— Matthew Hayden, Batting Coach of Gujarat Titans

Statistics and Interesting Facts 

• Shreyas Iyer might have had an excellent year for Punjab in 2025, but his record in New Chandigarh is very poor. In the five matches played there, he has scored only 27 runs at a strike rate of 100, with a high score of 10.
• In IPL 2025, Prabhsimran was dismissed three times facing left-arm spinners in five innings, scoring at a strike rate of 104.
• The record of Gujarat openers against Punjab's leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal is completely different. Gill has scored runs against Chahal at a strike rate of only 122 and has been dismissed by him three times. However, Sai Sudharsan has smashed 40 runs off 17 balls against Chahal without being dismissed.