GT vs PBKS Highlights | Punjab Kings Edge Gujarat Titans in a High-Scoring Thriller at Ahmedabad

The IPL 2025 season delivered its first blockbuster of the year as Punjab Kings outlasted Gujarat Titans by 11 runs in a match that saw over 470 runs scored on a batting paradise at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. It was a wild ride from start to finish, with fortunes swinging till the final over. The match had everything big hits, collapses, clutch bowling, and some head-scratching decisions, but it was Punjab Kings who held their nerve better in the end.

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Enjoy glimpses of a Shreyas Iyer Special in Ahmedabad as he remained unbeaten on 97*(42) ????

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Punjab Kings Blaze to 243 on the Back of Iyer’s Carnage

Put in to bat first after Gujarat Titans won the toss, Punjab Kings were off to a blazing start with young Priyansh Arya showing no signs of nerves. He smashed 47 off just 23 balls, peppering the boundary with pure timing. Prabhsimran Singh also chipped in with a quick 58, setting the platform for what was to come.

Then walked in Shreyas Iyer, who took over and made the Ahmedabad crowd sit up. The Punjab skipper was in murderous form, hammering an unbeaten 97 off just 42 balls. It was clean, calculated aggression he used the short boundaries, found gaps, and punished anything even remotely off target. Rashid Khan, the lone GT bowler with some control, picked up Arya early, but Iyer’s onslaught made sure the Titans were always chasing shadows.

The cameos didn’t all fire, though. Glenn Maxwell’s first outing in PBKS colours was forgettable as he fell for a golden duck, trapped lbw by Sai Kishore, who also claimed Azmatullah and Marcus Stoinis to pull things back briefly. Still, Shashank Singh’s explosive 44* off 16 in the death overs catapulted PBKS to a monstrous 243 for 5.

Gujarat Titans’ Response: Solid Start, Furious Finish, but Not Enough

When chasing 244, the margin for error is razor-thin, but GT approached the chase with clear intent. Shubman Gill started in his usual elegant style, crunching 33 off just 14 before falling to Maxwell of all people, caught brilliantly by Priyansh Arya. Sai Sudharsan, though, was the anchor and the aggressor rolled into one.

Sudharsan played a fearless knock, smashing 74 off 41 deliveries and stitching a match-defining partnership with Jos Buttler. The Englishman turned it up a notch, peppering the fence and launching sixes at will en route to his 54 off 33. At 145 for 1 in the 13th over, Gujarat looked like they had the game under control.

But the real twist came post the Buttler-Sudharsan stand. Arshdeep Singh broke the partnership by getting Sudharsan to slice one to Shashank Singh. It was a turning point. Gujarat still had power-hitters to follow, but something changed in the tempo. Sherfane Rutherford arrived and began to swing for the fences. He got 46 off 28, including a blistering six off Arshdeep in the 19th over that briefly reignited GT hopes.

Brainfade Moments and a Tight Finish

The Titans needed 27 off the final over. Not impossible by T20 standards, especially with the power Rutherford was showing. But Arshdeep Singh had other ideas. He returned for the 20th with cold precision.

On the first ball, disaster struck as a fluke deflection off Arshdeep's fingers ran Rahul Tewatia out at the non-striker's end. Tewatia was halfway down the pitch, eager for a run, but the ball hit the stumps and the replay confirmed his fate.

Rutherford wasn’t ready to give up, though. He nailed a cover-driven six off the next ball, kept the Titans in it with a couple of runs, but then fell trying to force another off-side big shot. It was a brainfade, swinging hard at a wide yorker and dragging it back onto his stumps. PBKS had their breakthrough.

Despite Shahrukh Khan ending the game with a flourish lofting the final ball for six the damage had been done. GT finished on 232 for 5, falling 11 short in a chase that was there for the taking.

Arshdeep's Calm Under Pressure

If Shreyas Iyer was the architect of PBKS's batting brilliance, Arshdeep Singh was the finisher with the ball. His spell of 4-0-36-2 might not scream dominance, but it was his last over that sealed the game. To hold your nerve when 27 are needed and power-hitters are breathing down your neck takes composure and clarity. Arshdeep had both.

It wasn’t just the wickets  it was how he bowled. Yorkers outside off, mixing in slower ones, and forcing GT’s hitters into errors. His role in the Tewatia run-out was a lucky break, but it came from sharp reaction and awareness.

What Went Wrong for Gujarat?

The Titans had this game in their grip more than once, but tactical choices and execution let them down. Rutherford, despite his late hitting, seemed stuck on one gear swinging only through the off-side even when leg-side gaps were there for the taking. That made it easier for Punjab to set fields and stick to one plan.

The last four overs of their chase yielded just 33 runs and saw the fall of three wickets. With a more composed finish, especially after the kind of foundation Sudharsan and Buttler had laid, this should have been GT's game.

Looking Ahead

Punjab Kings now have two early positives in this IPL season: a batting lineup that can explode and a death bowler in Arshdeep who’s not afraid of pressure. Shreyas Iyer’s form is a huge bonus, especially his strike rate which was often a question in past seasons.

For Gujarat, the loss will sting, but they’ll take heart from the batting effort. Sudharsan’s growth into a reliable top-order player continues, and Buttler’s form looks ominous. However, they’ll need more from their bowlers Rabada, Siraj, and Prasidh looked ineffective on a flat deck, and Rashid alone can’t carry the attack.

In a tournament known for momentum swings, this early thriller may just set the tone for a high-octane IPL season ahead. One thing’s for sure – if 243 isn’t safe, then this year’s IPL is going to be chaos, and fans won’t be complaining.

Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings, 5th Match
Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad – 25 March 2025

Punjab Kings: 243/5 (20 overs; S Iyer 97*, P Arya 47; R Sai Kishore 3-30, R Khan 1-48)
Gujarat Titans: 232/5 (20 overs; S Sudharsan 74, J Buttler 54; A Singh 2-36, M Jansen 1-41)

Result: Punjab Kings won by 11 runs