PBKS vs GT Prediction: Titans can claim a statement win

Two teams that went deep in last year’s IPL meet in New Chandigarh on Tuesday, as last season’s beaten finalists Punjab Kings take on Gujarat Titans (3pm, live on Sky Sports Cricket).

Punjab have stuck with the majority of their squad from 2025, while Gujarat have made some big overseas additions in the auction and look like serious title contenders. This promises to be a cracking encounter, in what is both teams’ opening fixture of the 2026 Indian Premier League.

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Punjab made just four new signings in this year’s auction, sticking with the majority of the squad that reached last year’s final, when they lost to RCB.

The Kings will be without New Zealand’s Lockie Ferguson, with the bowler missing the early stages after recently becoming a dad.

Punjab Knights Predicted XI: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Cooper Connelly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Ben Dwarshuis, Arshdeep Singh.

Meanwhile, Gujarat spent big on former West Indies captain Jason Holder and England pair Luke Wood and Tom Banton.

Only Holder is expected to start against the Kings, with Jos Buttler, Rashid Khan and Kagiso Rabada tipped to make up the four overseas stars.

Gujarat Titans Predicted XI: Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler, Washington Sundar, Shahrukh Khan, Jason Holder, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammad Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.

PBKS vs GT Odds

The Punjab Kings are 1/1 to win Tuesday’s clash, while the Gujarat Titans can be backed as the 4/5 favourites.

Skipper Shreyas Iyer is 13/5 to be the Kings top-batter, while Gurjarat pair Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill are both 11/5 to be the Titans top runscorer.

Match Winner - GT @ 4/5

These two teams were evenly matched for much of last season’s IPL, but Gujarat now look a stronger squad than 12 months ago.

As well as India Test skipper Shubman Gill and paceman Mohammed Siraj, the Titans have a very strong pool of overseas stars.

England’s Jos Buttler was far from his best in the World T20 event last month, but the wicket-keeper-batter has a brilliant IPL record and is now joined by international colleague Tom Banton.

Gujarat have also added New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips to their squad, with the Black Caps ace adding another all-rounder option. The likes of spinner Rashid Khan and pace duo Kagiso Rabada and Luke Wood are also part of a very strong bowling line-up.

Punjab won last season’s clash by just 11 runs and the visitors offer a good value bet to win their season opener.

Over 30.5 Runs - Sai Sudharsan @ 5/6

Titans opener Sai Sudharsan was the IPL’s leading runscorer in 2025, after a stunning season in which the 24-year-old smashed 759 runs.

Amongst his total was one century and six half-centuries, with one of his 50+ knocks coming in the clash with Punjab, when he made 74 runs off just 41 balls.

Sudharsan took the Orange Cap for the most runs scored and, in the process, became the youngest batter to hit 700 runs in a single IPL season.

Cricket betting tips with Betfred Insights.