GT Bowlers Shine as PBKS Restricted to 163/9 in IPL 2026 Clash

While Holder claimed four wickets, Rabada and Siraj picked up two each, and despite a 79-run partnership between Marcus Stoinis and Suryansh Shedge, PBKS were restricted to their lowest first-innings total of the season.

Gujarat Titans skipper, Shubman Gill, won the toss and opted to bowl first. Pacer Mohammed Siraj proved Gill's decision right immediately as the Punjab Kings' innings got off to a disastrous start.

Mohammed Siraj (2/28 in 4 overs) produced a masterclass in the very first over. Siraj struck with his second delivery, dismissing Priyansh Arya (2), who sliced a ball straight to backward point. Before the Kings could catch their breath, Siraj struck again on the very next ball, as Cooper Connolly fell for a golden duck after an inside edge carried to the wicketkeeper.

Reduced to 2/2 within the first few minutes of the game, PBKS were immediately pushed into a defensive shell.

Captain Shreyas Iyer (19 off 21 balls) and Prabhsimran Singh (15 off 14 balls) attempted to steady the ship, navigating a tight spell from Kagiso Rabada (2/22 in 4 overs) and Siraj.

However, the pressure of the scoreboard told. Just as the pair looked to accelerate toward the end of the Powerplay, Rabada broke the 33-run stand in the sixth over, removing Prabhsimran Singh. PBKS languished at 35/3 after the Powerplay.

The introduction of Jason Holder only compounded Punjab's woes as they lost another wicket in the very next over after the Powerplay. Holder trapped Nehal Wadhera for a 6-ball duck, leaving the visitors in tatters at 36/4 in 6.3 overs.

Shreyas Iyer fought a lonely battle, scoring 19 off 21 balls, but his departure in the 9th over--falling to Jason Holder--all but seemed to end PBKS's hopes of a competitive total as PBKS lost half their side for just 51 overs after 10 overs.

By the end of the 12th over, the scorecard of Punjab's innings was 66/5 as they looked set for a sub-100 total on the board.

However, Suryansh Shedge (57 runs off 29 balls) combined with Marcus Stoinis () for a reviving 79-run stand off 44 balls. Shedge took the attack to GT's left-arm spinner, Manav Suthar, as he slammed him for three sixes and two boundaries in the 14th over. PBKS got 27 runs off Suthar's over as PBKS stood at 108/5 after 14 overs.

Shedge scored 57 off just 29 balls, a knock laced with five sixes and three boundaries. While Shedge's aggression briefly shifted the momentum and gave the Punjab dugout a glimmer of hope, his dismissal in the 16th over, to Kagiso Rabada, again balanced the scales as PBKS reached 126/6 in 16 overs.Jason Holder further pushed PBKS back with a double-strike in the 18th over, dismissing Marcus Stoinis and Xavier Bartlett in back-to-back overs, reducing the opposition to 141/8 in 18 overs. Holder finished with outstanding figures of 4/24 in 4 overs.

Marco Jansen contributed with an 11-ball 20-run innings as PBKS finished with 163/9 in 20 overs.

- ANI