The much-anticipated IPL 2026 is set to begin on March 28, with only the first 20 matches announced due to ongoing state elections. In an exciting development, Australian cricket stars Marcus Stoinis and Cooper Connolly have officially joined the Punjab Kings (PBKS) squad in Mohali ahead of the league’s kickoff.
The two players arrived on Wednesday, eagerly linking up with their teammates as the tournament draws near. Their presence has brought a significant boost to the Punjab Kings’ roster, evident in their enthusiastic welcome at the New International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh.
Last season, PBKS finished as runners-up, and they are now gearing up for an exhilarating match against the Gujarat Titans (GT) on March 31. Furthermore, former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has emphasized the need for star pacer Arshdeep Singh to sharpen his new-ball bowling skills for the upcoming season.
“Arshdeep, who was your highest wicket-taker, has been consistently taking wickets. One key area for improvement is his new-ball bowling. Over the past year, I’ve noticed a decline in his inswing deliveries. He should focus on that aspect and monitor his economy rate,” he stated.
**IPL 2026 Matchup: Punjab Kings vs. Gujarat Titans – Squad Overview**
*Punjab Kings:* Marcus Stoinis, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shashank Singh, Praveen Dubey, Lockie Ferguson, Shreyas Iyer, Ben Dwarshuis, Vishnu Vinod (WK), Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur, Azmatullah Omarzai, Vyshak Vijay Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Marco Jansen, Nehal Wadhera, Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Harpreet Brar, Priyansh Arya, Suryansh Shedge, Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Owen, Pyla Avinash, Harnoor Singh, Musheer Khan, Vishal Nishad.
*Gujarat Titans:* Ishant Sharma, Jos Buttler (WK), Jason Holder, Jayant Yadav, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Tewatia, Luke Wood, Shahrukh Khan, Glenn Phillips, Prasidh Krishna, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Sai Kishore, Shubman Gill (C), Tom Banton (WK), Yarra Raj, Anuj Rawat, Sai Sudharsan, Manav Suthar, Kumar Kushagra (WK), Arshad Khan, Nishant Sandhu, Gurnoor Brar, Ashok Sharma.