Mohammed Siraj produced a fiery opening spell to put Punjab Kings on the back foot early in Match 46 of IPL 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Representing the Gujarat Titans, the Indian pacer made an immediate impact after his captain opted to bowl first.Siraj needed just a couple of deliveries to strike.
On the second ball of the innings, he banged in a short delivery that tempted Priyansh Arya into an aggressive shot. The batter mistimed it, sending the ball high towards deep backward point, where debutant Nishant Sindhu showcased excellent awareness with a sharp sliding catch. Arya was dismissed for just 2 runs, handing Gujarat an early breakthrough.
Siraj wasn’t done yet. On the very next delivery, he struck again—this time removing Cooper Connolly. Delivering a probing good-length ball that jagged back in, Siraj forced Connolly into a tentative defensive push. A faint edge carried through to the wicketkeeper, and despite a brief review, the on-field decision stood. In the blink of an eye, Punjab Kings found themselves reeling at 2/2, having lost both openers within three balls.
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It was a dream start for the Gujarat Titans, underlining Siraj’s ability to exploit early conditions with precision and pace. The new-ball spell set the tone for the innings, putting immediate pressure on Punjab’s middle order.
How’s that for a start? 😮🔥
🎥 Mohd. Siraj comes steaming in to rattle #PBKS in the first over 👊
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/9vBsQTIV2x#TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #GTvPBKS | @gujarat_titans pic.twitter.com/6GXJb6bqSk
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 3, 2026
Earlier, Shubman Gill won the toss and chose to field, a decision that paid off instantly. The match also marked a special moment for Nishant Sindhu, who made his IPL debut, replacing Shahrukh Khan in the playing XI.
Meanwhile, Punjab Kings made a couple of changes, bringing back Vijaykumar Vyshak and Xavier Bartlett. However, their plans were disrupted early by Siraj’s brilliance, leaving them with a steep task to recover after a disastrous start.
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Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Prabhsimran Singh(w), Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer(c), Marcus Stoinis, Suryansh Shedge, Nehal Wadhera, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
Gujarat Titans (Playing XI): Shubman Gill(c), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler(w), Washington Sundar, Nishant Sindhu, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Arshad Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Manav Suthar
