Connolly’s half-century helps PBKS to nervy three-wicket win over GT

MULLANPUR (Punjab): A composed 72* from Cooper Connolly helped Punjab Kings (PBKS) survive a scary spell from pacer Prasidh Krishna and secure a three-wicket win against Gujarat Titans (GT) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) opener at Mullanpur on Tuesday.

GT put up 162/6 on the board after being put to bat first, as skipper Shubman Gill (39 in 27 balls, with six fours) and Jos Buttler (38 in 33 balls, with three fours and two sixes) top-scored for GT. In chase of 163, PBKS was dominating, but a spell by Prasidh (3/15 in three overs) collapsed them from 110/2 to 118/6. Connolly (72* in 44 balls, with five fours and five sixes) stayed till the end, sealing the win with a four on the first ball of the final over.

During the run-chase, PBKS were dealt an early blow by Kagiso Rabada, who got Priyansh Arya caught for an eight-ball seven by Ashok Sharma. PBKS was 7/1 in 1.2 overs.

Prabhsimran Singh was joined by Aussie all-rounder Cooper Connolly. In the fourth over against Rabada, the duo launched an attack, with Prabhsimran starting the over with two sixes, one over cow corner and the other over third man. Connolly launched the final ball of the over over long-off, making it 19 runs off the over.

A memorable start for the young Australian in the @PunjabKingsIPL colors 😍

Cooper Connolly is adjudged the Player of the Match on his #TATAIPL debut 🌟

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/75rCxTCOL1#KhelBindaas | #PBKSvGT pic.twitter.com/5JmVoTz6DW

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 31, 2026

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In the next over, Rajasthan’s rising pacer Ashok Sharma was greeted by a six from Connolly and a four from Prabhsimran, bringing it to the 50-run mark in five overs. His debut in the IPL leaked 13 runs. The duo reached the 50-over stand in 31 balls, and Prabhsimran-Connolly continued to get boundaries and sixes against spinners.

Rashid Khan ended the 76-run partnership, removing Prabhsimran for a well-made 24-ball 37, including four and four sixes. PBKS was 83/2 in 9.3 overs. In the 11th over, Ashok’s two short deliveries were launched for two sixes. Both he and Connolly were looking to finish off early, dealing in sixes. PBKS reached the 100-run mark in 11.1 overs.

However, there was a moment of tension and pure silence in the PBKS camp, as Iyer was struck on his wrist while guarding himself from a shot by Connolly. While he decided to continue batting after medical treatement, he was dismissed on the next ball he faced by Prasidh Krishna for 11-ball 18. PBKS was 110/3 in 12.1 overs.

PBKS faced a scary slip-up as Washington Sundar removed Nehal Wadhera for just three, while Prasidh removed Shashank Singh for four and Marcus Stoinis for a two-ball duck, reducing PBKS to 118/6 in 14.4 overs.

Connolly broke the shackles with a four, reaching a half-century on his IPL debut in 34 balls, with three fours and four sixes. A six each from him and Marco Jansen brought down the deficit. However, there was still some twist left as Ashok got Jansen for a 10-ball nine, leaving PBKS at 144/7 in 17.4 overs.

PBKS managed to end the run-chase in 19.1 overs, with Connolly hitting the winning four. Krishna (3/29) delivered a fine spell of four overs, giving PBKS a scare, but Connolly guided PBKS to a win.

Earlier, bowling spells from Vijaykumar Vyshak and Yuzi Chahal helped Punjab Kings stop Gujarat Titans from putting up big partnerships, restricting them to 162/6 in 20 overs.

Skipper Shubman Gill (39 in 27 balls, with six fours) and Jos Buttler (38 in 30 balls, with three fours and two sixes) were the top two scores as Vyshak (3/34) and Chahal (2/28), and Marco Jansen (1/20) made sure that runs did not come so thick and fast.

Put to field first by PBKS, openers Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan gave the team a steady start. The GT skipper launched an attack against Xavier Bartlett in the second over, smashing him for three fours. However, the 37-run stand was ended by Marco Jansen, who removed Sudharsan for an 11-ball 13 with a short-ball, which Sudharsan gave into the hands of PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer at mid-off. GT was 37/1 in 3.4 overs.

Jos Buttler joined Gill, and he made his attacking intentions clear with a four each against Vijaykumar Vyshak and Jansen. GT reached the 50-run mark in 5.4 overs. At the end of six overs, GT was 54/1, with Buttler (11*) and Gill (28*) unbeaten.

Gill and Buttler continued to rebuild for the Titans. However, Yuzi Chahal once again got Gill, caught by Cooper Connolly at deep mid-wicket. The GT skipper was gone for 27-ball 39, with six fours. GT was 83/2 in 9.3 overs. In their ninth face-off, Chahal came out on top against Gill for the fourth time. The batter has scored just 69 runs in 57 balls at a strike rate of over 121 against an Indian spin veteran.

Halfway through their innings, GT was 84/2, with Buttler and Glenn Phillips at the crease. In the 12th over, Phillips launched Chahal for a six over long-on and a four over covers, bringing up GT’s 100-run mark in 11.5 overs. There was no keeping Jansen away from action as another promising partnership faded, with Phillips sending the ball right down the long-off’s throat, giving Vijaykumar his wicket for a 17-ball 25. GT was 119/3 in 14 overs.

Chahal got his second wicket of the day, with an assist from Bartlett, sending back Buttler for a 33-ball 38, with three fours and two sixes. GT was 130/4 in 15.5 overs. GT’s struggle to build a partnership continued as Vyshak removed Washington Sundar for a 16-ball 18, with two fours. GT was five down for 144 in 18.1 overs.

Vyshak continued to deliver his magic as he ended his spell by getting a dangerous Shahrukh Khan caught near the boundary for a six-ball four. GT was 150/6 in 19 overs. GT ended the innings at 162/6, with Rahul Tewatia (11*) and Rashid Khan (0*) unbeaten.

Vyshak (3/34) and Chahal (2/28) delivered incredible four-over spells. Jansen was also excellent in his four-over spell, conceding just 20 runs and taking a wicket.

Brief Scores: Gujarat Titans: 162/6 (Jos Buttler 39, Shubman Gill 38, Vijaykumar Vyshak 3/34) vs Punjab Kings: 165/7 in 19.1 overs (Cooper Connolly 72*, Prabhsimran Singh 37, Prasidh Krishna 3/29). (ANI)