Deja vu for PBKS, GT in Mullanpur campaign opener:Punjab begin hunt for maiden IPL, Gill’s strike rate a concern for Gujarat

The fourth match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 will be played between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM IST. Last year, in the 18th edition, PBKS faced GT only once, where Punjab defeated Gujarat by 11 runs, defending 244 runs in the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium at Ahmedabad on 25 March. Shreyas Iyer was awarded POTM for his unbeaten 97-run knock in 42 balls. Interestingly, it’s Deja vu for both Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans as they faced each other in Mullanpur in their respective campaign opener in the previous edition. Punjab and Gujarat both qualified for the playoffs last season and finished the league phase in first and third spots, respectively. Gujarat Titans were eliminated in the playoffs, while Punjab Kings fell short against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the summit clash. This season, PBKS and GT will meet twice, with the other match being on 3 May in Ahmedabad. PBKS vs GT: Match details Match info: Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans, Match 4 Date and Time: 31 March, 7:30 PM IST (toss at 7 PM) Venue: Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Stadium, Mullanpur Where to watch: JioHotstar, Star Sports network and Bhaskar English app PBKS vs GT, head-to-head record in IPL Gujarat Titans (GT) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) have met six times in IPL history, with both teams sharing equal success. Each side has won three matches, making their head-to-head record evenly balanced so far. Punjab aim for maiden IPL title, limited frontline spinners After finishing as runners-up last season, the team heads into IPL 2026 with strong motivation to win their maiden title under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer. With a powerful batting lineup and reliable all-rounders, they look well-balanced and ready to compete at the highest level. However, the squad appears slightly short on experienced frontline spinners despite having Yuzvendra Chahal and Harpreet Brar. The team is likely to give opportunities to young, inexperienced players, while also experimenting with their pace attack throughout the tournament. Shubman Gill’s strike rate is a major concern for Gujarat After the T20 WC snub, Shubman Gill’s strike rate as an opener is a major concern for the Gujarat-based franchise. Despite being the opener, he struggles a lot to maximise the powerplay as his IPL career strike rate is 138.72. Last season, Sai Sudharsan was the highest run-scorer for GT as he had scored 759 runs. However, with 25 wickets, Prasidh Krishna was the highest wicket-taker. MYS International Cricket Stadium, pitch report The pitch at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium is likely to support the batters while also offering some assistance to pacers. The average first-innings score is around 170. Teams winning the toss may prefer to bowl first due to the expected dew in the second innings. So far, 11 IPL matches have been played here. The team batting first won 6 matches, and the team chasing won 25. The highest team score here is 228/5, which Mumbai Indians made against Gujarat Titans in 2025. Mullanpur weather report On Tuesday, the weather is expected to be warm with a temperature of around 31°C. There is a slight 20% chance of precipitation, so light rain cannot be ruled out. Humidity stands at 39%, making the conditions moderately dry. Winds will be gentle at around 8 km/h in Mullanpur.