Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill admitted his side failed to capitalise in the final overs after a three-wicket defeat to Punjab Kings in their IPL 2026 opener on Tuesday. Chasing 163, PBKS rode on Cooper Connolly’s unbeaten 72 to seal the match in 19.1 overs, as GT’s below-par finish with the bat proved decisive.
Gill flags death-overs failure, defends tactical call
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Speaking after the match, Gill said the turning point came in the final phase of the innings.
“I think we bowled pretty well, but I think we just didn’t get going in the last five or six overs, I’d say,” Gill said.
“Batting, it never looked like a 210-220 wicket. But I think if we would have had maybe 175, 180 was the target in the middle,” he added, indicating GT fell short of a competitive total.
Gill also pointed to the impact of conditions in the second innings.
“Once the ball got older, it was difficult to hit it down the ground. In the second innings, rain continued, making the ball wet, which slightly improved batting conditions. So I don’t think it stopped as much in the second innings,” he explained.
Despite the loss, the GT skipper felt his side stayed competitive.
“But nonetheless, I think we did a decent job. We kept the pressure on,” Gill said.
On the decision to delay introducing Prasidh Krishna, Gill defended the call.
“I could’ve (on delaying Prasidh’s introduction), but he came at the right time, took wickets and kept us in the game until the 17th and 18th over,” he said.
“All ifs and buts, but at that time, we thought, you know, with the wicket going a little bit slow, maybe a bowler who’s quick and skinny might get us a few wickets. And he was bowling pretty well in the nets. So that was the thought process behind it,” he added.
Gill backs Ashok Sharma after impressive spell
Gill also reserved praise for youngster Ashok Sharma, highlighting his potential.
“As for Ashok (Sharma), he works hard on the game, he’s a good find for us,” Gill said.
“He bowled pretty well up front and I think in the back, he’s definitely someone that, you know, I think as he keeps playing more matches and keeps getting more experience, he’ll be very valuable for us,” he added.
Gill further revealed his first impression of the bowler during pre-season camp.
“And I actually met him during the camp a couple of months ago and I was very impressed by the way he was bowling with the new ball as well. Hopefully, he’ll get a chance in some of the matches to show some of his skills with the new ball,” he said.
GT fall short despite strong start
GT looked well set at 129/4 in 15 overs, with Gill (39) and Jos Buttler (38) building a solid platform. However, disciplined bowling from PBKS, led by Vijaykumar Vyshak (3/34) and Yuzvendra Chahal (2/28), restricted the scoring in the final overs.
Connolly anchors PBKS chase
In reply, PBKS adapted better to the conditions, with Connolly’s unbeaten 72 guiding the chase. Prabhsimran Singh (37) provided early impetus, while GT’s bowlers, including Prasidh Krishna (3/29), kept the contest alive briefly.
PBKS eventually crossed the line with five balls to spare.
Parthiv Patel credits PBKS for death-over execution
GT assistant coach Parthiv Patel acknowledged the role of conditions and opposition execution.
“The match went to the 20th over. A wicket here or there, and maybe even 160 runs wouldn’t have been chased,” Patel said.
“Due to the rain, the dry pitch started to play better. The ball was skidding and coming onto the bat nicely, and the outfield also became a bit wet. If everything had gone our way, maybe we could have won this match,” he added.
Patel also credited PBKS’ bowling in the closing stages.
“As I said, the Punjab bowlers, the way they bowled in the final overs, PBKS bowled cleverly towards the end,” he said.
