Gujarat Titans are making a dash for the playoff spots, with back-to-back wins taking them up to fifth spot on the IPL 2026 points table. The next challenge ahead of them at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on Sunday, May 3, is the visit of the table-toppers Punjab Kings, whose dominant start to the campaign hit a rare blip with their first defeat of the season.
PBKS' loss to Rajasthan Royals exposed some late-innings fragility with the ball, with Shreyas Iyer's side failing to defend 222 at home. Arshdeep Singh (1/68), Lockie Ferguson (0/57) and Marco Jansen (0/41) all conceded heavily as RR wrapped up the chase with 6 wickets and four balls to spare.
GT, in contrast, come into this contest with renewed energy. Their successive wins have been built on the back of balanced contributions with both bat and ball. In their most recent game, GT became the first team this season to bowl out RCB, limiting the defending champions to 155 before winning with 25 balls to spare.
The two sides met earlier this season on March 31 in New Chandigarh, where Punjab Kings secured a three-wicket win in a tightly contested game. Gujarat posted 162/6, with Shubman Gill (39 off 27) and Jos Buttler (38 off 33) providing an early burst, before Vijaykumar Vyshak's 3/34 restricted them in the middle overs.
PBKS appeared in control at 110/2 in the chase but slipped to 118/6 after a sharp spell from Prasidh Krishna (3/29). The game was turned by 22-year-old Australian all-rounder, Cooper Connolly, who on debut produced an unbeaten 72 off 44 balls to guide PBKS home with five balls to spare.
Players To Watch
Shubman Gill (Gujarat Titans): The GT captain remains central to their top-order stability. His ability to control the powerplay was evident in the reverse fixture, and another strong start could dictate the tempo against a PBKS attack that has shown inconsistency when put under pressure. Gill leads the scoring charts for his team with 373 runs from eight matches.
Shreyas Iyer (Punjab Kings): The PBKS captain has been a model of consistency this season, scoring 309 runs from eight matches, including four fifties. He has anchored the middle order with control while retaining the ability to shift gears and accelerate as required.
Match Venue and Details
The Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings match will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM IST on Sunday, May 3.
Predicted Playing XIs
Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill (c), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (wk), Shahrukh Khan, Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Arshad Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Manav Suthar
Impact Sub: Prasidh Krishna
Punjab Kings: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh
Impact Sub: Vijaykumar Vyshak
Weather And Pitch Report
Conditions in Ahmedabad are expected to remain clear, with no rain interruptions forecast. The surface at the Narendra Modi Stadium has generally offered good bounce and carry, favouring strokeplay. This match will be played on pitch number five and is expected to be another high-scoring game.
The only game played on this particular pitch saw MI post 199/5 before bowling out GT for 100.
How To Watch Live Telecast
The match will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network.
How To Watch Live Streaming
Live streaming will be available on the JioHotstar app and website.
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