PBKS edge Gujarat Titans as Connolly stars with 72

Punjab Kings beat Gujarat Titans by 3 wickets with five balls to spare in Match 4 of the Indian Premier League, with Cooper Connolly producing the defining innings of the night in a superb 72 off 44 balls. In a chase of 163, PBKS survived a late wobble before closing out 165/7 in 19.1 overs.

The result gives Punjab Kings their first win of this 20-match phase after earlier victories for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals in the opening three matches. It extends the early league schedule rather than deciding anything so soon, and attention now turns to Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals on Wednesday, April 1.

Gujarat Titans posted 162/6 from their 20 overs, built around Shubman Gill’s fluent 39 off 27 and Jos Buttler’s 38 off 33. Gill set the early tempo with six fours, while Sai Sudharsan made 13 off 11 before PBKS began to claw back control. Buttler held the middle overs together, and Glenn Phillips added useful impetus with 25 off 17, including a four and a six.

But Punjab’s bowlers kept refusing GT a final surge. Vijaykumar Vyshak was central to that effort with 3/34 in his four overs, striking key blows through the middle and at the death. Yuzvendra Chahal backed him up smartly with 2/28, while Marco Jansen’s 1/20 from four overs was the most economical spell of the innings. Those returns ensured Gujarat finished with a competitive total rather than the imposing one they briefly threatened.

The chase began unevenly for Punjab Kings. Priyansh Arya fell for 7 off 8, but Prabhsimran Singh counterpunched with 37 off 24, striking four sixes and keeping the asking rate in check. His intent gave the pursuit early momentum, and when Shreyas Iyer chipped in with 18 off 11, PBKS looked well placed.

Yet the match turned on Connolly’s composure. His 72 off 44 balls, studded with five fours and five sixes, gave Punjab both acceleration and stability. He handled the spin threat, kept the gaps busy, and repeatedly found the boundary whenever Gujarat seemed to be building pressure. In a chase that never quite became straightforward, Connolly was the batter who absorbed the tension and kept PBKS moving toward the target.

Gujarat still had their moments. Prasidh Krishna produced the best bowling figures of the innings with 3/29 from four overs and nearly dragged his side back into the match by removing set and incoming batters alike. Rashid Khan returned 1/29 from four overs, Washington Sundar took 1/27 in 3.1 overs, and Kagiso Rabada and Ashok Sharma picked up one wicket each. When Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh and Marcus Stoinis fell for 3, 4 and 0 respectively, Punjab’s chase briefly threatened to unravel.

Instead, the lower order held its nerve. Marco Jansen’s 9 off 10 was a small but valuable contribution, and Xavier Bartlett’s unbeaten 11 off just 5 balls gave PBKS the finishing burst they needed. Fittingly for a chase full of shifts, Punjab crossed the line with 19.1 overs used, taking the points after a contest that remained alive deep into the final over.

Key performers

Punjab Kings
Cooper Connolly: 72 (44)
Prabhsimran Singh: 37 (24)
Prasidh Krishna nearly denied them with 3/29, but PBKS found enough support from Xavier Bartlett’s 11 (5) and Marco Jansen’s 9 (10) to finish the chase.

Gujarat Titans
Shubman Gill: 39 (27)
Jos Buttler: 38 (33)
Glenn Phillips: 25 (17)
Vijaykumar Vyshak: 3/34 (4)
Yuzvendra Chahal: 2/28 (4)
Marco Jansen: 1/20 (4)

NerdSports Stat: Cooper Connolly scored 43.6% of Punjab Kings’ runs in the chase, and his 72 was almost double the next-best score in the innings, Prabhsimran Singh’s 37.

After four matches, the Indian Premier League has now seen four different winners: RCB, MI, RR and PBKS. Gujarat Titans, despite entering as slight pre-match favourites at 52.17%, were left to rue a total that was solid rather than match-defining and a chase in which Connolly’s innings proved the difference.

Punjab Kings next face Chennai Super Kings on Friday, April 3, while Gujarat Titans are scheduled to meet Rajasthan Royals on Saturday, April 4.

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