In a thrilling start to the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL), Punjab Kings (PBKS) emerged victorious over Gujarat Titans (GT) by three wickets on Tuesday, March 31. After winning the toss, PBKS opted to field first at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur.
Gujarat Titans set a target of 162/6 in their 20 overs, with captain Shubman Gill scoring 39 off 27 balls and wicketkeeper Jos Buttler adding 38 off 33. Despite these efforts, Gujarat’s batters struggled to exceed a strike rate of 150, falling short in the final overs.
In the last five overs, Gujarat could only muster 34 runs. Among the bowlers, pacer Vijaykumar Vyshak claimed three wickets, while seasoned leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal took two.
Punjab’s chase was marked by some tense moments, as they lost wickets regularly. However, Cooper Connolly’s unbeaten 72 off 44 balls was crucial in securing victory in 19.1 overs. Prasidh Krishna was a standout for Gujarat with bowling figures of 4-0-29-3.
Here, we revisit three key moments from the game that captured the fans’ attention.
Arshdeep Singh bowls the joint-longest over in IPL history
Arshdeep Singh faced difficulties in the final over of Gujarat’s innings, starting with a wide but recovering with two consecutive dot balls. However, the over unraveled when Rahul Tewatia hit a four on the third ball.
Suffering further, Arshdeep conceded one no-ball and three wides, ultimately delivering an 11-ball over, equaling the longest in IPL history. This unwanted record is shared with Tushar Deshpande, Hardik Pandya, Shardul Thakur, Sandeep Sharma, and Mohammed Siraj. Arshdeep’s performance was disappointing, as he finished without a wicket and gave away 42 runs in four overs.
Xavier Bartlett takes stunning boundary catch to dismiss Jos Buttler
Yuzvendra Chahal gave Punjab a significant boost by dismissing Jos Buttler in the 16th over. Buttler attempted a big hit towards long-on but received a surprise from Xavier Bartlett.
Initially appearing destined to clear the boundary, the ball was caught brilliantly by Bartlett, who timed his jump perfectly. This dismissal was pivotal in preventing Gujarat from finishing their innings strongly.
PBKS debutant Cooper Connolly slams 103m six off Rashid Khan’s bowling
On his IPL debut, Cooper Connolly made a remarkable impact with the bat. He smashed five sixes and five fours, pacing his innings masterfully to guide his team to victory.
Even the renowned leg spinner Rashid Khan was unable to contain Connolly. In the eighth over, Khan’s short delivery was met with a powerful 103m six over long-on by Connolly, showcasing his outstanding form.
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Edited by Aditya Suketu Desai
