You gave everything in 2025. Travelled, sang, believed - and got your heart broken by SIX runs in May. If that number still stings, good. It stings in the dressing room too. Our IPL 2026 starts Tuesday, and Sarpanch Saab, Punter and the Kings are ready. Are you? Sadda Punjab. Ab BAS JEETNA HAI!

The Gujarat Titans know what Punjab are capable of: 243 on opening day last season was a statement nobody forgot. Head to Head? Three wins each across six meetings. If anything, Tuesday's opener already feels like a final. Mullanpur, be ready.

Ponting’s 'bigger and stronger' mantra isn't just talk; this squad is built to thrill. Arya and Prabhsimran are there to wreck the new ball, which lets Shreyas dictate the middle overs without the scoreboard pressure. Then you’ve got Arshdeep, who’s basically a cheat code when you're defending a total at the death. So, anything new? Yes! Cooper Connolly's raw Australian intent and Ben Dwarshuis's left-arm angle. Fresh problems for a Titans team that thought they knew this team. They don't. Not this version.

And in a game this loaded, there's one contest that could decide everything

What’s that? Shubman Gill vs Arshdeep Singh. Gill is dangerous, no question. But Mullanpur is Arshdeep's territory. The left-arm angle, the swinging yorker, the temperament that doesn't blink. This is exactly the stage he was built for. Back him, Sher Squad!

What about the pitch? Mullanpur plays fast early: good news for Arsh and the bowlers. But once the dew settles in under the lights, batting gets easier and chasing becomes the smarter call. Three of five matches here last season were won by chasing. Toss? Bowl first, let this batting unit do the rest.

Any milestones to watch out for? We have two crucial ones. One maximum for Sarpanch Saab means he has 250 sixes in T20s in India, while our speed general Arshdeep is just three scalps away from the IPL's 100-wicket club. History could be made at home.

New season. Same Lions. One trophy is still missing, but that changes NOW.

Punjab Kings Squad

Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wicketkeeper), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harpreet Brar, Suryansh Shedge, Vishnu Vinod (wicketkeeper), Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur, Mitchell Owen, Harnoor Singh, Musheer Khan, Pyla Avinash, Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Pravin Dubey, Vishal Nishad