GT vs PBKS Preview – IPL 2026 | Statz

2nd May 2026

Gujarat Titans take on Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on Sunday evening. GT are in trouble in 9th place with just 6 points from 9 games, while PBKS sit 5th with 10 points and firmly in contention for the playoffs. Match starts 19:30 IST (14:00 BST). Check full Statz projections here.

The Venue

The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad is a high-scoring venue that consistently produces 170+ first innings totals. Average first innings across the last 30 T20s here sits at 168.5, with the ground tagged as “High scoring” by Statz. Bat-first sides win 40% of the time – slightly better odds than many IPL venues for setting totals. Pace accounts for 65.8% of wickets at an economy of 9.4; spin goes at 8.1. The most recent match here saw 174 and 189 – a competitive two-innings game that reflects the surface well. Openers score heavily here; top-scorer position is opener in 60% of games.

Form and Table

Gujarat Titans – 9th place, P9 W3 L6, 6 points. Last 5: L, W, L, L, W. GT have been inconsistent all season, their bowling particularly susceptible against power-hitting sides. They need wins in all remaining games to have any playoff hope.

Punjab Kings – 5th place, P9 W5 L4, 10 points. Last 5: W, W, L, W, L. PBKS have found form at the right time. Their batting unit is deep and capable of posting any total on a good surface.

Top 4: 1. Mumbai Indians (15pts) | 2. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (13pts) | 3. KKR (11pts) | 4. SRH (10pts). PBKS in 5th need to keep winning to stay in the hunt. GT are effectively playing for pride.

Head-to-Head

8 meetings since 2022 (Statz data). PBKS lead 5-3 in this window. The last meeting was a PBKS victory by 7 wickets in a chase at this ground. At Narendra Modi Stadium, PBKS have won both previous meetings in this data window.

Statz Projections

Statz gives PBKS a 56% win probability in the batting-second scenario (i.e. GT bat first) with GT at 42%. When PBKS bat first, that PBKS win probability rises to 61%. Projected first innings: 174.8. Projected match total: 337.5 (P10: 289, P90: 381). The 174.8 projection sits above the 168.5 venue average, reflecting the quality of batting in both sides – though GT batting first is the less threatening scenario for the opposition.

Competition Season Leaders

Orange Cap (Top 5):

  1. Travis Head (SRH) – 542 runs
  2. Virat Kohli (RCB) – 498 runs
  3. Shreyas Iyer (PBKS) – 445 runs
  4. Quinton de Kock (KKR) – 389 runs
  5. Ruturaj Gaikwad (CSK) – 371 runs

Purple Cap (Top 5):

  1. Jasprit Bumrah (MI) – 22 wickets
  2. Varun Chakaravarthy (KKR) – 19 wickets
  3. Mohammed Siraj (RCB) – 17 wickets
  4. Pat Cummins (SRH) – 16 wickets
  5. Yuzvendra Chahal (RR) – 15 wickets

GT Season Leaders: Runs – Shubman Gill 312 runs, avg 34.7, HS 89 | Jos Buttler 298 runs, avg 33.1, HS 91. Wickets – Rashid Khan 14 wkts, avg 1.56/match, best 3-18.

PBKS Season Leaders: Runs – Shreyas Iyer 445 runs, avg 49.4, HS 112 | Prabhsimran Singh 356 runs, avg 39.6, HS 104. Wickets – Arshdeep Singh 13 wkts, avg 1.44/match, best 4-16.

Predicted XIs

Gujarat Titans (based on XI vs RCB, 27 Apr 2026):
Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Vijay Shankar, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Prasidh Krishna, Mohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav

Punjab Kings (based on XI vs DC, 28 Apr 2026):
Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Rilee Rossouw, Glenn Maxwell, Liam Livingstone, Marco Jansen, Arshdeep Singh (c), Yuzvendra Chahal, Harshal Patel, Xavier Bartlett, Harpreet Brar

Check the fixture projections page for toss updates and any last-minute changes.

Dream11 Tips

Captain: Shreyas Iyer (PBKS) – 88.7 projected Dream11 points (in_recent_xi)
Vice Captain: Shubman Gill (GT) – 82.4 projected Dream11 points (in_recent_xi)

Next 3 for reference:
– Rashid Khan (GT) – 78.6 pts
– Prabhsimran Singh (PBKS) – 71.2 pts
– Jos Buttler (GT) – 68.9 pts

Key Players

Shreyas Iyer (PBKS) – The season’s third-highest run-scorer with 445 runs and a strike rate north of 155. Hit rate of 20+ runs: 100% last 5 innings (Statz). Shreyas on a flat Ahmedabad deck against a GT bowling attack that ranks among the most expensive in the league is a compelling pick at any price.

Rashid Khan (GT) – The one GT bowler opponents genuinely fear. 14 wickets at an average of 1.56 per match this season. 1+ wicket hit rate of 89% last 10 innings (Statz). If Rashid can tie up the middle overs and keep PBKS to a manageable target, GT have a chance – he is their season.

Shubman Gill (GT) – GT’s captain and best batter. 312 runs this season despite batting for a struggling side. 30+ run hit rate of 50% in his last 10 (Statz). At this ground, a flat deck and no pressure to rush could see Gill post his best score of the campaign.

Arshdeep Singh (PBKS) – 13 wickets and a relentless powerplay threat. His left-arm swing at 19:30 IST under lights in Ahmedabad makes him one of the most dangerous bowlers in the tournament at that stage of an innings. 1+ wicket hit rate of 77% last 10 (Statz).

Conditions

34°C, clear skies, 0mm rain forecast for Ahmedabad Sunday evening – an ideal batting surface with no weather variables in play.

Verdict and Betting Angles

PBKS are the clear pick here. They have the better squad depth, better batting firepower, and are playing for something tangible. GT are fighting relegation from playoff contention – the pressure on their batting lineup to score big every game is starting to show. PBKS at 1.5 on bet365 is short but justified. The value is in the bet builder.

Bet Builder Angles (live hit rates at Statz Bet Builder):

PBKS to win. Check odds at bet365.