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The Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings have developed a competitive IPL rivalry despite being relatively recent opponents. Gujarat Titans entered the Indian Premier League in 2022, meaning every meeting between these teams belongs to the modern era of the tournament. Their contests have already produced last-ball finishes, high-scoring chases, dramatic collapses and outstanding individual performances.
From Gujarat’s thrilling six-wicket victory in their first-ever meeting to Punjab’s three-wicket win in 2026 and Gujarat’s response later that season, the rivalry has repeatedly changed direction. As of the end of IPL 2026, the teams have played eight times, with Gujarat Titans winning four and Punjab Kings winning four.
This timeline covers every completed meeting, the major turning points, memorable performances, important records and how the rivalry has evolved season by season.
Match Timeline
| Year | Date | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | April 8 | Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai | GT won by 6 wickets |
| 2022 | May 3 | DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai | PBKS won by 8 wickets |
| 2023 | April 13 | Mohali | GT won by 6 wickets |
| 2024 | April 4 | Ahmedabad | PBKS won by 3 wickets |
| 2024 | April 21 | Mullanpur | GT won by 3 wickets |
| 2025 | March 25 | Ahmedabad | PBKS won by 11 runs |
| 2026 | March 31 | New Chandigarh | PBKS won by 3 wickets |
| 2026 | May 3 | Ahmedabad | GT won by 4 wickets |
The eight-match sequence is evenly divided. Each side has four victories, making the overall head-to-head record perfectly balanced at the end of the 2026 season.
2022: The Rivalry Begins
April 8, 2022: GT Win a Last-Ball Thriller
The first-ever meeting between Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings immediately produced the kind of finish that makes an IPL rivalry memorable.
Punjab Kings batted first and posted 189/9. Liam Livingstone top-scored with 64, while Shikhar Dhawan contributed 35. Rashid Khan was Gujarat’s most successful bowler, taking 3/22.
Gujarat’s chase was led by Shubman Gill, who scored a superb 96. Sai Sudharsan added 35, keeping the chase under control deep into the innings.
But the match came down to the final two deliveries.
With Gujarat needing 12 runs from the last two balls, Rahul Tewatia hit two sixes to seal a remarkable six-wicket victory. Gujarat finished on 190/4, winning with the final delivery of the innings.
It was an extraordinary introduction to the matchup because Gujarat had successfully chased a target of 190 in only their fourth IPL match.
May 3, 2022: Punjab Respond
Punjab Kings had their answer less than a month later.
Gujarat struggled after being asked to bat first and finished on 143/8. Sai Sudharsan provided resistance with an unbeaten 64, but Kagiso Rabada was outstanding for Punjab, taking 4/33.
Punjab’s chase was considerably more comfortable.
Shikhar Dhawan scored an unbeaten 62, while Bhanuka Rajapaksa made 40. Liam Livingstone then produced one of the innings’ most destructive overs, smashing 30 runs from Mohammed Shami’s 16th over.
Punjab reached 145/2 in only 16 overs and won by eight wickets.
The first season therefore ended 1-1, establishing a pattern that would continue throughout the rivalry: neither side was able to maintain complete control for long.
2023: Gujarat Regain the Advantage
April 13, 2023: GT Win in Mohali
The 2023 meeting was another close contest, but Gujarat Titans eventually prevailed by six wickets.
Punjab Kings were restricted to 153/8. Matthew Short scored 36 and Jitesh Sharma made 25, while Mohit Sharma marked his Gujarat debut with an impressive 2/18.
Gujarat’s chase revolved around Shubman Gill.
The opener scored 67, combining timing with controlled aggression. Wriddhiman Saha added 30 at the top, while Gujarat received valuable support through the middle order.
The game went into the final over, with Gujarat needing seven runs.
Gill was dismissed by Sam Curran, briefly reopening the contest, but Rahul Tewatia once again provided the finishing touch. He found the boundary to complete Gujarat’s six-wicket victory.
For the second consecutive season, a Gujarat-Punjab match was decided during the closing stages of the chase.
2024: The Most Dramatic Season of the Rivalry
The two sides met twice in 2024, and the results were split.
April 4, 2024: Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma Rescue Punjab
The first 2024 meeting took place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Gujarat produced a huge 199/4. Shubman Gill was the central figure, scoring an unbeaten 89 from 48 balls. Sai Sudharsan contributed 33 from 19, while Rahul Tewatia’s 23 from only eight balls pushed Gujarat close to the 200-run mark.
Punjab’s chase looked uncertain for much of the innings.
The momentum changed when Shashank Singh came to the crease. He attacked immediately and eventually scored 61 from only 29 balls. Ashutosh Sharma added 31 from 17.
Their 43-run partnership transformed the chase.
Punjab needed seven runs from the final over. Although Ashutosh was dismissed from the first delivery, Shashank produced the boundary required to put the visitors within touching distance. A leg-bye then completed a stunning three-wicket victory.
The result became an important moment in Shashank’s breakthrough IPL season.
April 21, 2024: Gujarat Fight Back
The return fixture produced a completely different type of game.
Punjab Kings were dismissed for only 142, with Gujarat’s spinners causing major damage. R Sai Kishore took 4/33, while Noor Ahmad claimed 2/20 and Rashid Khan added another wicket.
Gujarat’s chase was far from straightforward.
Shubman Gill made 35, but Punjab’s bowlers repeatedly created pressure. Gujarat slipped into trouble in the middle overs before Rahul Tewatia took control.
Tewatia smashed 36 not out from 18 balls, including seven fours. He scored the winning boundary from the first ball of the final over, giving Gujarat a three-wicket victory.
The 2024 season therefore produced two contrasting results: Punjab successfully chased 200 in Ahmedabad, while Gujarat successfully chased 143 in Mullanpur.
2025: Punjab Deliver a High-Scoring Victory
March 25, 2025: PBKS Win by 11 Runs
The 2025 meeting returned to Ahmedabad, but this time Punjab Kings were the side celebrating.
Punjab produced an imposing 243/5, one of the highest totals in the history of this particular matchup. Gujarat responded with 232/5, meaning the match produced 475 runs.
Punjab won by 11 runs.
The narrow margin is important. Gujarat’s 232 would have been enough to win many IPL matches, but Punjab’s batting unit had created too large a target.
The game also demonstrated how the rivalry had evolved from its early low-scoring phases into a contest increasingly capable of producing enormous totals.
2026: Punjab Take the Lead, Gujarat Level the Series
The 2026 season featured two meetings, producing one victory for each side.
March 31, 2026: PBKS Win a Tight Chase
Punjab Kings opened the season against Gujarat Titans at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh.
Gujarat scored 162/6.
Punjab appeared well placed at 110/2, but Gujarat’s bowlers then launched a dramatic comeback. Prasidh Krishna claimed three wickets and helped reduce Punjab from 110/2 to 118/6 in only 15 deliveries.
The match appeared to be slipping away from Punjab.
Australian all-rounder Cooper Connolly, however, held the innings together. On his IPL debut, he scored an unbeaten 72 from 46 balls, including six fours and four sixes. He guided Punjab through the final stages and sealed a three-wicket victory with five balls remaining.
The performance made Connolly the Player of the Match and gave Punjab a 4-3 lead in the overall head-to-head at that point.
May 3, 2026: Gujarat Level the Rivalry
Gujarat responded in the second meeting of the season at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
Punjab were bowled out for only 163, with Gujarat’s attack producing an excellent opening spell. Mohammed Siraj struck twice at the beginning, while Jason Holder delivered a career-best four-wicket haul.
The Gujarat chase reached 167/6, giving the Titans a four-wicket victory.
The result was important beyond the match itself because it restored the overall head-to-head balance. After eight meetings, the teams stood level at four wins each.
Head-to-Head Record
As of the end of IPL 2026, Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings have played eight matches.
| Category | Gujarat Titans | Punjab Kings |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 8 | 8 |
| Wins | 4 | 4 |
| Win percentage | 50% | 50% |
| No result | 0 | 0 |
| Biggest win | 8 wickets* | 8 wickets |
*The eight-wicket victories came in different circumstances. Punjab won by eight wickets in 2022, while the statistical record should be interpreted alongside the match’s scoring context rather than simply by margin.
The most striking feature of this head-to-head is its balance. Neither franchise has established a sustained advantage.
Memorable Encounters
The Tewatia Double Sixes
The first meeting remains one of the defining games in the rivalry. Gujarat needed 12 from the final two balls when Rahul Tewatia hit consecutive sixes to complete the chase.
It immediately gave the new franchise a memorable identity and showed how dangerous Gujarat could be in the final overs.
Shashank Singh’s 61
Shashank’s unbeaten-style rescue effort in 2024 became one of the most important individual performances in Punjab’s rivalry with Gujarat.
His 61 from 29 balls helped Punjab chase 200, while Ashutosh Sharma’s 31 from 17 gave him vital support.
R Sai Kishore’s 4/33
Gujarat’s 2024 victory in Mullanpur was built around spin.
Sai Kishore’s four-wicket haul helped reduce Punjab from a promising start to 142 all out. The performance demonstrated how dramatically conditions and bowling strategy can alter this matchup.
Cooper Connolly’s Debut
Connolly’s unbeaten 72 in 2026 was another standout chapter.
Punjab had collapsed from 110/2 to 118/6, but the young Australian remained composed and completed the chase. His innings turned what looked like a Gujarat comeback into a Punjab victory.
Important Milestones
| Milestone | Detail |
|---|---|
| First meeting | April 8, 2022 |
| First winner | Gujarat Titans |
| Most wins after 2026 | 4 each |
| Highest GT total | 232/5 |
| Highest PBKS total | 243/5 |
| Highest aggregate | 475 runs in 2025 |
| Biggest successful chase | PBKS chased 200 in 2024 |
| Closest winning margin | GT won by 3 wickets in 2024 |
| Most recent meeting | May 3, 2026 |
| Most recent winner | Gujarat Titans |
The 2025 match produced the highest combined score in the rivalry, with Punjab making 243/5 and Gujarat responding with 232/5. The 475-run aggregate illustrates the batting-heavy nature that has increasingly characterized their contests.
Tournament Meetings
Unlike some established IPL rivalries, Gujarat and Punjab have never met in an IPL playoff match through the 2026 season. Their meetings have come during the league stage.
This means the rivalry’s historical importance has largely been built through regular-season encounters rather than knockout games.
The league-stage nature of the contest has not reduced the drama. Several meetings have gone deep into the final over, including Gujarat’s first match in 2022, Gujarat’s 2023 chase in Mohali and Punjab’s 2024 chase of 200.
Recent Matches
The most recent four meetings show how evenly matched the teams have become.
| Date | Match | Result |
|---|---|---|
| May 3, 2026 | GT vs PBKS | GT won by 4 wickets |
| March 31, 2026 | PBKS vs GT | PBKS won by 3 wickets |
| March 25, 2025 | GT vs PBKS | PBKS won by 11 runs |
| April 21, 2024 | PBKS vs GT | GT won by 3 wickets |
The sequence is split 2-2, reinforcing the overall balance.
Major Records and Statistical Highlights
Highest Team Totals
Punjab’s 243/5 in 2025 is the highest total recorded by either side in this head-to-head. Gujarat replied with 232/5, making the game the most productive batting contest between the teams.
Highest Gujarat Score
Gujarat’s 232/5 in 2025 remains its highest score against Punjab.
It was not enough to win because Punjab had already established a 244-run target, but it demonstrated the Titans’ ability to maintain an extremely high scoring rate throughout 20 overs.
Biggest Successful Chase
Punjab’s 200-run chase in Ahmedabad in 2024 stands out because Gujarat had scored 199/4.
The chase appeared to be slipping away before Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma changed the momentum.
Best Bowling Performance
Kagiso Rabada’s 4/33 in 2022 was one of Punjab’s earliest dominant bowling displays against Gujarat. It helped restrict GT to 143/8 before Punjab completed a comfortable eight-wicket chase.
Gujarat’s R Sai Kishore later matched the four-wicket mark with 4/33 in 2024, playing a major role in Gujarat’s three-wicket victory.
Best Individual Innings
Shubman Gill’s 96 in the first meeting in 2022 remains one of the most memorable batting performances in the rivalry. Although he missed a century, his innings gave Gujarat the platform for an extraordinary final-ball chase.
How the Rivalry Has Evolved
The early matches were defined by Gujarat’s ability to chase effectively and Punjab’s ability to respond with aggressive batting.
In 2022, the teams produced opposite results in their two meetings. Gujarat won a last-ball chase of 190, while Punjab responded by chasing 144 with four overs remaining.
By 2024, both teams were capable of winning through completely different methods. Punjab chased 200 through late-order hitting, while Gujarat later defended a low total and then chased 143 under pressure.
The 2025 contest shifted toward a high-scoring shootout. Punjab’s 243/5 and Gujarat’s 232/5 showed the changing nature of T20 cricket and the increasing value of deep batting lineups.
In 2026, the contrast became even clearer. Punjab won a tense chase after recovering from a major collapse, while Gujarat later bowled Punjab out for 163 before completing a controlled chase.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. When did Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings first play each other?
Their first IPL meeting was on April 8, 2022, at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. Gujarat Titans won by six wickets after chasing Punjab’s 189/9 on the final delivery.
2. How many times have Gujarat Titans played Punjab Kings?
The teams have played eight times through the end of IPL 2026. Both teams have won four matches, leaving their overall head-to-head record completely level.
3. What was the highest-scoring Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings match?
The 2025 encounter produced the highest combined score. Punjab Kings made 243/5 and Gujarat Titans replied with 232/5, creating a total of 475 runs. Punjab won by 11 runs.
4. What is the most memorable close finish between GT and PBKS?
Several matches qualify, but Gujarat’s first meeting with Punjab in 2022 is particularly notable. Gujarat needed 12 runs from the final two balls, and Rahul Tewatia hit consecutive sixes to complete the chase.
5. Who won the latest Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings match?
Gujarat Titans won the latest completed meeting, on May 3, 2026, by four wickets in Ahmedabad. The result levelled the overall rivalry at four wins apiece.
Conclusion
The Gujarat Titans-Punjab Kings rivalry has developed quickly since their first meeting in 2022. In only eight matches, the teams have already produced a last-ball chase, an 11-run high-scoring thriller, a successful chase of 200 and several dramatic middle-order collapses.
The overall record tells the clearest story: four wins apiece after the 2026 season.
The rivalry has also produced several standout performers, from Shubman Gill and Rahul Tewatia in Gujarat’s early victories to Shikhar Dhawan, Kagiso Rabada, Shashank Singh and Cooper Connolly in Punjab’s memorable wins. With the teams continuing to evolve, their head-to-head history remains one of the more evenly balanced contests among the IPL’s modern franchises.
