Punjab Kings begin their 2026 IPL campaign looking to go one better than last time. They topped the league phase last season, only to fall to RCB at the last hurdle, and will be desperate to make ammends this season.
Gujarat Titans come to New Chandigarh with a point to prove after a third-place finish that ended in an Eliminator exit. These are two strong teams going head to head at a neutral venue, and the moneyline reflects how close this match could be.
| Match | Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans |
|---|---|
| Date | March 31, 2026 |
| Format | T20 |
| Venue | Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium, Mullanpur, New Chandigarh |
| Pitch Report | Relatively new IPL venue with a surface that offers pace and bounce early before settling into a batting-friendly track. Spinners can get some help from the middle overs onward. Average first-innings score around 175-185. |
| Weather | Partly cloudy, temperatures in the mid-to-high 20s Celsius. Minimal rain risk. Dew expected later in the evening. |
| Toss Impact | The record here is close. Teams batting first have won around 5 of 9 IPL matches at this venue, so there is no strong lean either way. Dew can assist batters in the second innings but pacers have dominated across both innings historically. Toss is a factor but not a decisive one. |
PBKS vs GT Pick
Pick: Punjab Kings -120
Confidence: 3 out of 5
Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans Match Preview
PBKS
PBKS enter this one looking like a team that has figured out its identity. Shreyas Iyer returns as captain for his second season and brought with him the kind of structure and calm that turned a perpetually underachieving franchise into finalists.
The top order is dangerous and settled. Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya give them one of the most aggressive powerplay pairings in the competition, Iyer anchors the middle, and Marcus Stoinis and Shashank Singh provide late-overs firepower. Arshdeep Singh remains one of the best powerplay and death bowlers in the country, and Yuzvendra Chahal, retained for Rs 18 crore, is the biggest wicket-taking weapon in the spin department.
The one concern is Lockie Ferguson, who has confirmed he will miss the early part of the season after the birth of his son. Ben Dwarshuis and Xavier Bartlett are the in-form overseas pace alternatives, and Marco Jansen adds genuine all-round value.
GT
GT come to Mullanpur with a squad that looks formidable on paper but carries a few questions going into the season opener. The top-order engine of Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Jos Buttler was extraordinary in 2025, combining for over 1,900 runs between them. That trio is the foundation of everything GT do, and if it fires again, they can post totals that put any side under pressure.
The concern is Buttler, whose T20 form dipped badly through the T20 World Cup, averaging under 11 across 8 innings. Glenn Phillips, back after missing almost all of last season with a groin injury, returns as the middle-order wildcard and adds off-spin variety. Rashid Khan had his worst IPL season in 2025 by some distance and will be under pressure to prove he can still be the matchwinning force of previous years.
Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj give GT a strong Indian pace battery, and the addition of Jason Holder, who took 10 wickets in the T20 World Cup, adds genuine all-round depth.
PBKS vs GT Head-to-Head
The head-to-head sits level at 3-3 across 6 IPL meetings. It is a new enough rivalry that recent form matters more than historical trends, and PBKS took the most recent encounter in 2025 by posting 243 and defending it.
Betting Insights
- PBKS are expected to open around -115 to -130 as home favorites. GT’s price in the +100 to +115 range offers value if Gill and Sudharsan click at the top.
- Total runs market leans toward 175-190 per innings based on venue history. Look for combined match totals around 340-360, lower than the flat big-city venues.
- Top PBKS batter candidates: Shreyas Iyer is the safest pick given his record at Mullanpur and his role as the fulcrum of the innings. Prabhsimran Singh offers explosive upside if he attacks in the powerplay.
- Top GT batter candidates: Sai Sudharsan is the standout value option after his 759-run Orange Cap season in 2025. Gill is the headline name but comes into the season without T20I cricket since losing his India spot.
- Top bowler candidates: Arshdeep Singh is the premier wicket-taker option on either side. Chahal is the best middle-overs pick given his record in this format. For GT, Rashid Khan at a reset price could be undervalued if he returns to something closer to his best.
- Toss scenario angle: If GT win the toss and bowl first, they can use Holder, Siraj, and Krishna in the powerplay on a surface that rewards early pace, leaving PBKS without Ferguson to reply with the same quality. That is the scenario most likely to produce a GT win at this venue.
PBKS vs GT Lineups
PBKS probable XI: Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Ben Dwarshuis.
Impact sub: Azmatullah Omarzai or Xavier Bartlett.
Without Ferguson, Arshdeep carries added responsibility with the new ball. The batting depth from Iyer through Stoinis and Singh remains one of the deepest in the tournament.
GT probable XI: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Jos Buttler, Glenn Phillips, Washington Sundar, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj.
Impact sub: Tom Banton or R Sai Kishore.
Gill and Sudharsan at the top give GT a high floor, but the middle order beyond Phillips and Sundar remains the area most likely to be tested at this venue.
PBKS vs GT Model Projection
Win Probability: PBKS 57%, GT 43%
Home advantage, a more settled XI, and GT’s lingering questions around Buttler and Rashid all tip this toward PBKS. Iyer’s tactical control and Arshdeep and Chahal’s combined ability to strangle a chase make Punjab tough to beat at Mullanpur. Back PBKS at -120, but keep an eye on Sudharsan in the top batter market as the standout value play on either side.
