PBKS Vs GT: Top Players To Watch As IPL 2026 Comes To Mullanpur Stadium

After an electrifying start to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 with over 200 runs being chased with much resistance, first by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the M Chinnaswamy Stadium and then by the Mumbai Indians at their fortress, the Wankhede Stadium. But the Barsapra Stadium witnessed another story. The Chennai Super Kings wound up their innings at just 127 runs, leading to the Rajasthan Royals' successful chase in just over 12 overs. Now the IPL goes to Chandigarh’s Mullanpur Stadium for its next faceoff between the Punjab Kings (PBKS) and the Gujarat Titans (GT). The Mullanpur Stadium has a history of its own.

Tucked in the heart of New Chandigarh, in the Mohali District of Punjab, the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, more commonly known as the Mullanpur Stadium, has quietly grown into one of India's most exciting new cricketing venues. Named after the ninth and last ruling Maharaja of Patiala, Yadavindra Singh, this stadium is far more than just a playing field. It is a symbol of Punjab's deep love for the game and its ambition to offer world-class cricket infrastructure to players and fans alike.

The story of this stadium begins back in March 2010, when the Punjab Cricket Association made a bold announcement. They had chosen Mullanpur village in Mohali district as the site for a brand new international-standard cricket stadium, to be spread across a generous 41.95 acres of land. The project carried an estimated cost of ₹230 crore, reflecting the scale of ambition behind it. Construction officially commenced in 2015, and over the following years, the ground gradually took shape, first hosting domestic matches before stepping onto the bigger stage. By 2024, it had firmly established itself as the home ground for the Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League, marking a defining chapter in the history of Punjab cricket.

One of the first things that strikes you about the Mullanpur Stadium is its impressive seating capacity. The flood-lit arena can accommodate up to 38,000 spectators, creating an atmosphere that is nothing short of electric on match days. For the passionate fans of the Punjab Kings, the Sher Squad, as they are lovingly called, the stadium represents a place where their voices can rise together and push their team forward. The sheer scale of the venue ensures that every seat offers a compelling view of the action, making each visit a memorable experience for cricket lovers of all ages.

Beyond the spectator experience, the stadium has been engineered with careful attention to the quality of the playing surface. Unlike most traditional cricket grounds, which use regular soil as their base, the Mullanpur Stadium is built on a sand foundation. While sand demands more careful maintenance than conventional soil, it offers significantly better stability, ensuring that the pitch holds its character throughout a match. Adding to this is the stadium's standout technical feature, a sophisticated herringbone drainage system. This cutting-edge infrastructure can remove water from the playing surface in just 25 to 30 minutes after rainfall, meaning that even unexpected weather disruptions are unlikely to cause long delays. For a sport as weather-sensitive as cricket, this is an enormous advantage.

The facilities within the stadium reflect a genuine commitment to excellence at every level. Players are greeted by two international-grade dressing rooms that go well beyond the basics, offering steam rooms, saunas, and ice baths to aid recovery and preparation. A fully equipped gymnasium is also part of the complex, ensuring that athletes have everything they need to stay in peak condition throughout a tournament. These amenities place the Mullanpur Stadium firmly among the finest cricketing venues in the country, rivalling the standards of the best arenas around the world.

The stadium also caters well to the broader ecosystem of modern cricket. A well-equipped media centre supports the large number of journalists and broadcasters who cover top-level matches, while modern lounges and turnstiles ensure a smooth and comfortable experience for fans entering and moving around the ground. These thoughtful additions reflect the organisers' understanding that a great cricket stadium must serve not just those on the field, but everyone who gathers around it.

The significance of the Mullanpur Stadium deepened further in December 2025, when the Punjab Cricket Association named two of its stands after two of India's most celebrated cricketers, former all-rounder Yuvraj Singh and women's team captain Harmanpreet Kaur, both of whom share deep roots with Punjab. This gesture connected the new stadium to the rich cricketing heritage of the region.

In many ways, the Mullanpur Stadium represents the next chapter in a proud story. Where the old PCA Stadium in Mohali spent decades nurturing talent and hosting memorable encounters, the Mullanpur ground now carries that legacy forward with fresh energy and modern ambition. For Punjab cricket, and for every fan who fills those 38,000 seats, the best days are very much still to come.

Now, Shreyas Iyer and his unit are back in action for their first game of the season at their home turf. Here are five Punjab Kings players to watch out for in today’s contest against the Gujarat Titans.

Iyer began his IPL journey with Delhi Capitals in 2015 as an uncapped player, making an immediate impression by scoring 439 runs to win the Emerging Player of the Season award. By 2018, he was handed the captaincy mid-season and responded with a stunning 93 not out off 40 balls in his first game as skipper. He then led KKR to the IPL title in 2024, scoring 488 runs at a strike rate of 172.43 that season.

IPL Career Stats: 133 matches | 3,731 runs | Average: 34.23 | 27 half-centuries | Highest score: 97*

His IPL breakthrough came in 2021, taking 18 wickets in 12 matches. He solidified his reputation in 2022 with 10 wickets, including a nerveless Super Over against the Mumbai Indians. He peaked in 2024 with 19 wickets in 14 matches, finishing as the joint third-highest wicket-taker with a standout 4/29 against Sunrisers Hyderabad. He is now the highest wicket-taker in Punjab Kings' IPL history.

IPL Career Stats: 82 matches | 97 wickets | Average: 26.49 | Economy: 9.00 | Best: 5/32

Arya made his IPL debut on 25 March 2025 against the Gujarat Titans, scoring 47 runs in 23 balls. On 8 April 2025, he made a 39-ball century against Chennai Super Kings, becoming the third-fastest Indian to score an IPL century. His talent first came to light in the Delhi Premier League, where he scored 576 runs in eight innings, including a blistering 120 off 50 balls during which he hit six sixes in a single over.

IPL Career Stats: 17 matches | 475 runs | Average: 27.94 | 1 century | 2 half-centuries | Highest: 103

In 2024, Chahal became the first bowler to take 200 IPL career wickets. In IPL 2022, he won the Purple Cap with 27 wickets in 17 matches, took a hat-trick and a five-wicket haul, breaking Imran Tahir's record for most wickets by a spinner in a single IPL season. After a slow start to IPL 2025, Chahal registered figures of 4/28 against KKR, helping Punjab Kings successfully defend just 111 runs, the lowest IPL total ever defended.

IPL Career Stats: 174 matches | 221 wickets | Average: 22.77 | Economy: 7.96 | Best: 5/40

Stoinis scored 352 runs in 2020 as the Delhi Capitals reached the IPL final, featuring in all their games during that memorable run. In IPL 2024, he accumulated 388 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 147.52, smashing his maiden IPL hundred, an unbeaten 124 against Chennai Super Kings. During the 2025 season, the Aussie all-rounder racked up 160 runs in 13 games and played the role of a finisher. Nicknamed the "Hulk," he combines explosive power-hitting with effective swing bowling, making him a formidable all-rounder.

IPL Career Stats: 109 matches | 2,026 runs | Average: 28.14 | 1 century | 9 half-centuries | Highest: 124* | 44 wickets

The Gujarat Titans are also gearing up with some explosive batters and impactful bowlers in the lineup. Here are five key players to watch out on the GT dugout for the clash against PBKS.

In 2020 and 2021, Gill was KKR's highest run-scorer in both seasons. After joining the Gujarat Titans in 2022, he helped the franchise win its debut IPL title. He then scored 890 runs in 2023 with three centuries, winning the Orange Cap, and hit the IPL's 100th ton in 2024. In IPL 2025, he scored 650 runs, his second-best season and his sixth straight season with 400-plus runs.

IPL Career Stats: 118 matches | 3,866 runs | Strike Rate: 138.7 | 4 centuries | 26 half-centuries | Highest: 129

After being promoted to open the batting mid-tournament in 2018, Buttler became only the second batsman in IPL history to achieve five scores of fifty or more in consecutive matches. His most remarkable season came in 2022, when he piled up 863 runs, including four centuries, equalling the record for most centuries in a single IPL season, and winning the Orange Cap and the Most Valuable Player award. After joining the Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025, he scored 538 runs with five half-centuries at a strike rate of 163.03.

IPL Career Stats: 121 matches | 4,120 runs | Average: 40.00 | 7 centuries | 24 half-centuries | Highest: 124

Sudarshan made his mark in IPL 2023 with 362 runs, including a stunning 96 in the final against CSK. His IPL 2024 campaign saw him become the fastest Indian to reach 1,000 IPL runs in just 25 innings during his century against CSK. In IPL 2025, he won the Orange Cap after amassing 759 runs, becoming the youngest player to win the award as well as the youngest to cross 700 runs in a single IPL season.

IPL Career Stats: 40 matches | 1,793 runs | Average: 49.81 | 2 centuries | 12 half-centuries | Highest: 108*

Siraj made history in 2020 by becoming the first bowler to bowl two maiden overs in an IPL match. He was bought by the Gujarat Titans for a staggering ₹12.25 crore in the 2025 auction, having built a reputation for swinging the new ball and striking early in the powerplay. A landmark moment came in 2025 when he claimed a spell of 3/23 against SRH to take his 100th career IPL wicket, leading GT to a crucial victory.

IPL Career Stats: 108 matches | 109 wickets | Average: 30.73 | Economy: 8.74 | Best: 4/17

In his five seasons with Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rashid was a totemic presence, taking 93 wickets at an economy rate of 6.33. After joining the Gujarat Titans in 2022, he took 19 wickets to help them secure the title in their debut season. In 2023, he claimed 27 wickets, including GT's first-ever IPL hat-trick against KKR, and dazzled with a blistering 79* off 32 balls against the Mumbai Indians.

IPL Career Stats: 136 matches | 158 wickets | Average: 23.84 | Economy: 7.09 | Best: 4/24

Punjab Kings: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Cooper Connolly, Marcus Stoinis, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett/Ben Dwarshuis/Azmatullah Omarzai, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal

Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill (c), B Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (wk), Glenn Phillips, Washington Sundar, M Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Jason Holder/Kagiso Rabada, Rashid Khan, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj