PBKS vs GT, Match 4 Preview: Head-to-Head Record, Predicted XI, Pitch Report | IPL 2026

Match 4 of IPL 2026 pits last season's runners-up, the Punjab Kings, against the former champions, the Gujarat Titans. They’ll clash at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, on Tuesday, 31 March, at 7:30 PM IST.

PBKS finished as runners-up in 2025 after a heartbreaking final loss to RCB. GT were knocked out in the Eliminator by the Mumbai Indians. Both sides are desperate to hit the ground running.

Both are carrying notable absentees into the season opener. The opening weekend's theme of disrupted squads continues, and this match is no exception.

Match Logistics

The match takes place at PCA International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh, on Tuesday, 31 March, at 7:30 PM IST. It will be broadcast on Star Sports 2 HD/SD with English commentary, and streamed live on JioHotstar (subscription required). Tickets are available via BookMyShow.

The stadium holds up to 38,000 spectators. It features a sophisticated herringbone drainage system that can remove water within 25–30 minutes of rain.

Head-to-Head Record

PBKS level head-to-head against GT with 3 wins each across 6 IPL meetings. This is one of the tightest records between any two sides in the competition.

The most recent meeting told a different story. In IPL 2025, PBKS posted a mammoth 243, their highest-ever total in the IPL. GT fell just 11 runs short in a spectacular chase.

At this venue specifically, GT have previously beaten PBKS at Mullanpur, winning by 3 wickets in a close encounter.

Team News & Predicted XI

PBKS head into this match without their most dangerous overseas pace bowler. Lockie Ferguson will miss the early stages of IPL 2026 after choosing to spend time with his newborn son. Ben Dwarshuis will cover his role in the opening matches.

PBKS are likely to open with the dynamic duo of Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh. Captain Shreyas Iyer will be at No. 3, followed by Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh and Marcus Stoinis in the middle order.

Azmatullah Omarzai provides all-round balance while Arshdeep Singh leads the bowling attack. He will be supported by Yuzvendra Chahal, Vyshak Vijaykumar and Ben Dwarshuis.

GT will be led by Shubman Gill, with Jos Buttler opening. B Sai Sudharsan bats at No. 3, with Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan and Washington Sundar in the middle order.

The bowling is GT's biggest strength. Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada and R Sai Kishore give them a fearsome, balanced attack.

Key Players to Watch

Yuzvendra Chahal is the most talked-about name heading into this match. The leg-spinner is now a PBKS player after being released by RCB in what Kevin Pietersen recently called "the worst decision in IPL history".

Chahal's record against GT is excellent. He is one of the top wicket-takers in this fixture. And, Mullanpur's surface can grip for wrist-spin as it dries in the second half.

Priyansh Arya is PBKS's most explosive batting option at the top. He announced himself in IPL 2025 with a stunning debut against GT itself. He will be eager to replicate that against the same opposition.

For GT, Shubman Gill leads their batting charts against PBKS with 329 runs across all meetings. He is the one batter who can anchor a GT innings and accelerate when needed. After getting dropped from India’s T20 World Cup squad, he’ll be eager to prove a point or two.

Rashid Khan remains GT's most decisive bowling weapon. R Sai Kishore took 3/30 in the last meeting between these sides. He will be looking to repeat his stifling spin performance on a surface that tends to slow down late.

Pitch Report

Surface + grass: The Mullanpur pitch is unique. The field is composed of sand rather than conventional soil, which offers better stability but is harder to maintain. A light grass cover is retained to hold moisture. The surface provides good pace and bounce early, making it attractive for batters who like to drive through the off side.

New ball (3–4 overs): Pacers can get some carry and movement early, particularly with the new ball under lights. Hard lengths and back-of-a-length deliveries work best.

Middle overs: Precision is non-negotiable at this venue: go too full and the ball skims on nicely for drives. A few dry patches can assist spinners in the back half of the innings, making length variation critical.

Dew + toss call: In the last 11 matches at this venue across formats, the team batting first has successfully defended 6 times. So, the record is quite balanced.

The surface slows down in the second half, making chasing harder. Unlike the Chinnaswamy and Wankhede, dew is less dominant here in late March. Batting first may actually be the preferred call.

Par score range: The highest IPL total recorded at Mullanpur is the Mumbai Indians' 228/5 against Gujarat at this stadium in the 2025 Eliminator.

With PBKS posting 243 against GT in Ahmedabad last season, both teams are capable of explosive innings. A competitive first-innings score here is 175–190.

Match Prediction

According to Grok, the winner will be the Punjab Kings. Top factors behind the prediction include the Mullanpur venue’s strong historical preference for batting first, PBKS’ home advantage, and the team's explosive batting capability.

Winning factors also include the surface behaviour that slows down and assists spinners in the second half, and GT’s strong bowling attack, somewhat neutralised by venue physics.

Google Gemini disagrees. It backs the Gujarat Titans to win. Top decisive factors include extreme venue defence bias. “Data from the last 10 matches at Mullanpur shows an 80% success rate for the team batting first,” it says.

The AI tool bets on Titans’ comprehensive spin arsenal, or on Rashid Khan, R Sai Kishore, and Washington Sundar. The absence of Lockie Ferguson is a critical data point. Shubman Gill’s historical data (329 runs against PBKS) suggests a mastery over their bowling archetypes..

ChatGPT, too, slides for the Titans. Mullanpur is not a flat chase venue, it says. It rewards teams that can control phases, especially while defending.

GT are better equipped across both: disciplined pace in the early overs and dual-spin control in the middle and late overs. PBKS rely more on batting momentum and a thinner bowling structure, it adds.

Where to Watch

The match is live on Star Sports 2 HD/SD from 7:30 PM IST. Stream on JioHotstar. UK viewers: Sky Sports Cricket. Australia: Fox Cricket or Kayo Sports. USA and Canada: Willow TV.

Two teams with unfinished business. It’s a rivalry that has never produced a dull game. It’s a surface that tends to reward the side that gets the big decisions right early. Match 4 should be another cracker.