PBKS vs GT Live Score IPL 2026: Cooper Connolly, Vijaykumar Vyshak shine as Punjab Kings win thriller in Mullanpur

"Cooper has got a great mindset and hope he continues his form. After the 3rd over, we realised the wicket is playing slow. We tried to make the ball old as quickly as possible. (On Vyshak) He is carrying forward the form that he performed in the final last year. He's a big match player. We need to carry this momentum going forward. I was (surprised on seeing the short leg fielder when he walked in to bat)"

Highest scores on IPL debut innings (stats from Cricbuzz)

1. 158* - B McCullum (KKR) vs RCB, 2008
2. 116* - Michael Hussey (CSK) vs KXIP, 2008
3. 84* - Shaun Marsh (KXIP) vs Deccan, 2008
4. 73 - Kyle Mayers (LSG) vs DC, 2023
5. 72* - Cooper Connolly (PBKS) vs GT, 2026*

The debutant seals it in style! 💪@PunjabKingsIPL clinch a thriller in New Chandigarh to get their campaign going with a win ❤️

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/75rCxTCOL1#TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #PBKSvGT pic.twitter.com/WqBQNjuvA1

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 31, 2026

"I think we bowled pretty well, we didn't get going in the last five or six overs (with the bat), it wasn't a 200 wicket, but if we had 175 it would have been different, but we kept losing wickets and we couldn't get going in the last five overs ... once the ball got older it was difficult to hit down the ground, there was no pace on the wicket ... when we were bowling, with the rain coming down it did not stop as much in the second innings, we did well with the bowling. I could have got Prasidh on earlier, but we were in the game until the end, there will always be ifs and buts ... Ashok bowled pretty well up front and in the back, as he plays more and gets more experience he will be of value for us. He works very hard on his game, he's a good fielder for us, I met him at a camp a couple of months ago and was very impressed."

What a debut for the young Australian as he delivers for Punjab Kings in a thrilling encounter.

Connolly came to bat in the second over and finished the game with winning runs in the 20th over. He scored 72* off 44 balls with the help of five fours and five sixes. A dream debut for the PBKS player.

Cooper Connolly finishes the game by smashing a four on the very first delivery of the last over.

GT - 162/6 in 20 overs

PBKS - 165/7 in 19.1 overs

Punjab Kings win by 3 wickets (5 balls remaining)

What an innings from Cooper Connolly on his IPL debut.

He smashes Prasidh Krishna for a six and four in the 19th over to almost end the game. Punjab Kings now need 2 runs in the last over with Connolly on strike.

PBKS - 161/7 in 19 overs.

Punjab Kings need 2 runs in 6 balls.

Cooper Connolly smashes a flat six off Prasidh Krishna over the deep midwicket to shift the game in Punjab Kings' favour again.

PBKS - 154/7 in 18.2 overs

Punjab Kings need 9 runs in 10 balls to win the game.

Ashok Sharma delivers a brilliant 18th over with a wicket of Marco Jansen and concedes just 5 runs. Now the game goes to the wire.

PBKS - 147/7 in 18 overs.

Punjab Kings need 16 runs in 12 balls to win.

IPL debutant Ashok Sharma traps Marco Jansen with a slower delivery. Punjab Kings go 7 down. Gujarat Titans are back again.

Jansen scored 10 runs off 9 balls. Xavier Bartlett joins Connolly in the middle.

PBKS - 144/7 in 17.4 overs

Punjab Kings nee 19 runs off 14 balls

Marco Jansen smashes a crucial six off Prasidh Krishna to shift the momentum towards Punjab Kings in the 17th over.

Cooper Connoly - 61 runs off 39 balls

Marco Jansen - 9 off 7 balls

PBKS - 142/6 in 17 overs

Punjab Kings need 21 runs off 18 balls.

Cooper Connolly smashes a 34-ball fifty on his IPL debut. He brings his fifty with a beautiful drive off Kagiso Rabada at the backward point. He finishes the over with a stunning six over deep square leg. A star in making.

Cooper Connoly - 60 runs off 37 balls

Marco Jansen - 2 off 3 balls

PBKS - 133/6 in 16 overs

Punjab Kings need 30 runs off 24 balls.

What an impact from Prasidh Krishna as he dismisses Marcus Stoinis, who tried to find big runs over deep third. Four wickets in last three overs as Gujarat Titans turn the tables in Mullanpur.

A two-ball duck for Stoinis. Marco Jansen walks in at No. 8.

PBKS - 121/6 in 15 overs.

Punjab Kings need 42 runs in 30 overs.

Shashank Singh caught behind. Prasidh Krishna strikes again as he removes Shashank Singh to get his second wicket. A strong comeback from the Gujarat Titans.

Shashank scored 4 runs off 5 balls. Marcus Stoinis is the next batter.

PBKS - 118/5 in 14.2 overs.

Punjab Kings need 45 runs in 34 balls to win the game.