Gujarat Titans player Mohammed Siraj celebrates with his teammates (PTI Photo)
Gujarat Titans are quickly setting the standard this season, topping the charts for most wickets by players using the short balls in IPL 2026. With 29 wickets, GT are comfortably ahead of the rest, underscoring how effective their use of quick bounce and difficult lengths has been to trouble batsmen.
Most wickets by pacers (short balls) – IPL 2026
- 29 – Gujarat Titans
- 19 –
Kolkata Knight Riders - 16 –
Rajasthan Royals - 15- Royal Challengers Bengaluru
- 13 – Sunrise Hyderabad
- 11 –
Chennai Super Kings
Their dominance was on display again against Punjab Kings, as the trio of Mohammed Siraj, Jason Holder and Kagiso Rabada dismantled the top order with short-pitched bowling.
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Siraj set the tone immediately, hitting two overs in the slot to leave PBKS shaken. Rabada’s raw pace piled on the pressure, while Holder delivered the knockout blow with a brilliant spell of 4/24, GT’s best bowling figures against Punjab Kings.At 47 for five in nine overs, PBKS were in complete trouble. Although Suryansh Shidge played a fighting knock of 57 and crafted a crucial 79-run stand with Marcus Stoinis (40), the damage had already been done.Shedge showed composure under pressure, mixing caution with calculated aggression, highlighted by a brutal attack against Manav Suthar in which he amassed 26 points. But as the PBKS looked to rebuild, Rabada struck again to unseat him, ending hopes of a full recovery.
The GT’s pacemakers continued to chip away, ensuring that PBKS never regained full control. Some late hitting from Marko Janssen took the total to 163 for nine, but it still looked below par given the early collapse.With their fast bowlers executing their tactics perfectly, especially with the short ball, Gujarat Titans are not only winning matches but are also redefining how pace can control matches in IPL 2026.