IPL 2026 Today: PBKS vs GT - Playing 11, Batters vs Bowlers Matchups Full Preview

IPL 2026 is on FIRE. Today we have a SUPER match. Last year’s runners-up Punjab Kings (PBKS) are playing against 2022 champions Gujarat Titans (GT) at Mullanpur Stadium in Chandigarh. Let me tell you everything about playing 11, captain records, and who will win.

Captaincy Record - Who is BETTER?

Shreyas Iyer (PBKS captain):

Matches: 87

Wins: 50

Losses: 35

Win percentage: 58.82%

Shubman Gill (GT captain):

Matches: 27

Wins: 14

Losses: 13

Win percentage: 51.85%

Shreyas Iyer has MORE experience. He also led Delhi Capitals to the finals in 2020. Last year he took PBKS to the finals. Shubman Gill is still NEW as captain.

PBKS Playing 11 (Probable)

Punjab Kings have ONE of the most balanced squads this year. They kept most players from last season.

Probable XI

Position	Player	Role
1	Priyansh Arya	Opener (left-handed)
2	Prabhsimran Singh	Opener (wk)
3	Nehal Wadhera	No. 3
4	Shreyas Iyer (c)	Captain + Anchor
5	Marcus Stoinis	All-rounder
6	Shashank Singh	Finisher
7	Azmatullah Omarzai	All-rounder
8	Marco Jansen	Fast bowler (left-arm)
9	Arshdeep Singh	Fast bowler (left-arm)
10	Vyshak Vijaykumar	Fast bowler
11	Yuzvendra Chahal	Lead spinner

Impact Players: Pravin Dubey (spinner) or Musheer Khan (batter)

STRENGTHS of PBKS:

Strong Indian batting core (Arya, Wadhera, Iyer, Shashank)

Left-arm pace attack (Jansen, Arshdeep)

Chahal is a WICKET-TAKER.

Overseas all-rounders (Stoinis, Omarzai)

WEAKNESSES:

No big overseas finisher

Spin attack only Chahal (others inexperienced)

GT Playing 11 (Probable)

Gujarat Titans have STRONG pace attack but spin is WEAK.

Probable XI:

Player Squad – Violet Theme

Position	Player	Role
1	Sai Sudharsan	Opener (left-handed)
2	Shubman Gill (c)	Captain + Opener
3	Jos Buttler (wk)	No. 3 (wk)
4	Glenn Phillips / Jason Holder	All-rounder
5	Rahul Tewatia / Kumar Kushagra	Finisher
6	Washington Sundar	Spin all-rounder
7	Rashid Khan	Lead spinner + finisher
8	Kagiso Rabada	Fast bowler
9	Sai Kishore	Left-arm spinner
10	Prasidh Krishna	Fast bowler
11	Mohammed Siraj	Fast bowler

Impact Players: Shahrukh Khan (batter) or Ishant Sharma (bowler)

STRENGTHS of GT:

BEST pace attack in IPL (Siraj, Rabada, Prasidh)

Gill + Buttler + Sudharsan = CLASS batting

Rashid Khan is GAME-CHANGER

Washington Sundar gives batting depth

WEAKNESSES:

Spin attack (Rashid alone, Sai Kishore untested)

Buttler out of form (only 130 runs in T20 WC)

Gill’s captaincy INEXPERIENCED

Head to Head Record

PBKS and GT have played 5 matches:

Winner Matches

Gujarat Titans 3

Punjab Kings 2

GT leads 3-2. But last year, PBKS won BOTH matches. So PBKS has MOMENTUM.

KEY Battles to Watch.

Yuzvendra Chahal vs Shubman Gill

Chahal has dismissed Gill 3 times in the IPL. Gill scores slowly against leg-spin (strike rate 125). Chahal will BOWL early to trap Gill.

Arshdeep Singh vs Jos Buttler

Arshdeep swings the ball in powerplay. Buttler struggles against left-arm pace (average 22, strike rate 128). If Arshdeep gets Buttler early, GT is TROUBLE.

Rashid Khan vs Shreyas Iyer

Rashid has dismissed Iyer 2 times in the IPL. Iyer’s strike rate against Rashid is only 115. Iyer will try to SURVIVE and hit others.

Mohammed Siraj vs Priyansh Arya

Siraj bowls at 145 km/h with bounce. Arya is young (22 years). Can he handle PACE? First over will be TEST.

Pitch Report - Mullanpur Stadium

Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium in Mullanpur is NEW (opened in 2024). In 2025 IPL:

Average first innings score: 178

Average second innings score: 162

Pacers took 65% wickets, spinners 35%

Pitch has BOUNCE and PACE. Fast bowlers will LOVE it. Spinners may struggle.

Toss factor: Teams batting first won 60% matches in 2025. Captain winning toss may BAT first.

Players to Watch in THIS Match

From PBKS:

Priyansh Arya – 22 years old, scored 450 runs in SMAT 2025. Can he perform on a BIG stage?

Marcus Stoinis – In T20 WC 2026, he scored 180 runs at strike rate 160. He is in FORM.

Yuzvendra Chahal – 18 wickets in IPL 2025. I need 20+ this season.

From GT:

Shubman Gill – Only 320 runs in IPL 2025 (below his standard). He needs a BIG score today.

Jos Buttler – Scored only 130 runs in T20 WC. RR fans booed him in the first match . He needs COMEBACK.

Rashid Khan – Took 12 wickets in IPL 2025 but economy 8.5 (HIGH for him). Can he BOWL tight?

Much like Srilanka dominance at the pallekele, individual brilliance continues to shape T20 narratives. Sanju Samson’s explosive batting in the T20 World Cup 2026 showcased how a single player’s fearless approach can shift momentum instantly, proving once again that in the shortest format, one dynamic innings can redefine the course of a tournament.