Debutant Cooper Connolly shone with a maiden half-century as Punjab Kings secured a three-wicket win over Gujarat Titans in their IPL 2026 opening match. Chasing a target of 163 runs, Punjab Kings faced an early setback with the dismissal of Priyansh Arya but recovered well.
Opener Prabhsimran Singh and Connolly built a strong partnership, propelling Punjab Kings to a solid start with aggressive stroke play. Despite losing key wickets in the middle overs, Connolly’s composed innings of 72 not out off 44 deliveries guided the team to victory with five balls to spare.
Gujarat Titans, after a promising start, were restricted to 162/6 by disciplined bowling from Punjab Kings. Vijaykumar Vyshak and Yuzvendra Chahal starred with the ball, ensuring Gujarat Titans fell short of a competitive total.
