Debutant Connolly’s Unbeaten 72 Powers PBKS to Dramatic 3-Wicket Win Over GT
In a nail-biting encounter at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, debutant Australian all-rounder Cooper Connolly delivered a match-winning performance to guide Punjab Kings (PBKS) to a thrilling 3-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans (GT) in Match 4 of the Tata IPL 2026.
Chasing a modest target of 163, PBKS found themselves in deep trouble at 118/6 after a middle-order collapse. Enter Connolly, batting at No. 3 as a specialist batter while recovering from a back issue. The 22-year-old left-hander remained unbeaten on a blistering 72 off 44 balls, laced with 5 fours and 5 sixes, including a maiden IPL fifty. He sealed the win in style with a boundary off Washington Sundar in the 19.1 over, with 5 balls to spare.
GT posted 162/6 after being asked to bat first by PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer. Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler provided stability, but tight bowling from Arshdeep Singh and others kept the total in check. PBKS’s chase started promisingly with Prabhsimran Singh and Connolly adding quick runs, but a sudden slump brought GT back into the game. Connolly’s composure under pressure, combined with crucial contributions from Marco Jansen and Xavier Bartlett, steered PBKS home.
The young Australian’s aggressive strokeplay against spin maestro Rashid Khan and pace bowlers like Prasidh Krishna lit up the stadium, earning loud cheers and fireworks from the home crowd. This victory marks PBKS’s first win of the season and continues the trend of home team dominance in the early IPL 2026 matches.
