After starting the season on a high with dominant wins in their first 7 games, PBKS’ campaign has gone south since reaching 13 points from 7 games, which included 6 wins and a no result against KKR. When the IPL was at its mid-point after 35 games, the Punjab Kings (PBKS) were sitting pretty at the top of the table, and the thought was whether PBKS could clinch the top two. But cricket is a great leveller and shows all of us not to take things for granted. PBKS did to a degree and are paying the price.
The Punjab Kings suffered four consecutive defeats, and now the Points table looks very interesting. After spending 21 days at the top, the Kings have been dethroned from the top spot and now are in 4th place with other teams like CSK and RR breathing down their neck; even KKR, for that matter. It is not yet time to press the panic button, but they are in a situation where another slip-up could be catastrophic for their campaign. This should not have happened in the first place, but that’s the reality.
The Journey So Far
Punjab Kings were off and running in IPL 2026 as they looked like a well-oiled machine. They had a great first half of the campaign, winning 6 games and a no result against KKR in Kolkata. They beat GT in New Chandigarh, CSK in Chennai, before being forced to share a point with KKR in a game they were ahead for the 4-5 overs that we had in Kolkata. Then they beat SRH in New Chandigarh, chasing down 220 with ease. They then faced MI in Mumbai and won that game chasing 196 with ease.
They batted first for the first time this season against Lucknow in New Chandigarh. They posted 254 on the board while LSG got to 200 to lose the match by 54 runs. Then they had a record-breaking win in New Delhi when DC posted 264/2 with KL Rahul making 152* as PBKS through Prabhsimran and Shreyas chased 265 down with 7 balls to spare. PBKS were flying high at this stage with 6 wins in 7 games and 13 points, with one foot already in the playoffs, it seemed at that stage.
But then came the decline for the Punjab Kings (PBKS). They faced RR in New Chandigarh, and despite posting 222/4 on the board, the Royals chased the target down with 4 balls to spare and 6 wickets in hand. Then they faced GT in Ahmedabad. Punjab struggled their way to 163/9 on a back-soil pitch, and GT, chasing that, struggled their way in getting there with one ball to spare in a thrilling clash. They then faced SRH in Hyderabad, where dropped catches helped the Orange Army with Klaasen and Kishan scoring half-centuries to post 235/4 in 20 overs.
In reply, PBKS faltered and were behind in the game. Cooper Connolly’s valiant century meant the Kings finished with 202/7, losing by 33 runs for their third consecutive loss. Last night, they faced Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala, where Priyansh Arya’s swashbuckling half-century and Shreyas Iyer’s masterful fifty also powered PBKS to 210/5 in 20 overs.
But then, ineffective bowling and fielding performances left Shreyas Iyer and Punjab Kings scratching for answers as the Capitals won by 3 wickets with an over to spare. This was PBKS’ fourth consecutive loss, and now they are in troubled waters for a playoff spot, let alone the top 2. They can forget the top 2 for this season is what we feel.
What Lies Ahead for PBKS
As things stand, PBKS occupies the 4th spot in the points table with 13 points, one ahead of the chasing pack comprising CSK and RR. KKR and DC are also in with a shout. Punjab Kings still have destiny in their own hands, but must not slip up now. The Kings have got three games left and to be safe must win 2 games to qualify, as 15 points may not be enough to guarantee qualification. So, one more slip-up and it will be do-or-die for them.
PBKS stays in Dharamsala, where next up they will host 5-time champions and already eliminated MI on 14th May, i.e. Thursday at 7:30 PM IST. After that, they will host defending champions RCB on Sunday, 17th May, in an afternoon game at 3:30 PM IST. Punjab then will have a break for 5-6 days before they finish their league stage against LSG in Lucknow on Saturday, 23rd May, 2026 at 7:30 PM IST.
Ideally, Punjab won’t want to leave qualification till the last match to avoid pressure because, yes, Lucknow are out and struggling, but they will have nothing to lose now in this campaign. So, they could be a threat to PBKS on that day. But for Punjab to secure qualification before their last game, they need to beat both MI and RCB. That is not straightforward. MI will have nothing to lose now, while RCB won’t give an inch to the Kings.
The road ahead looks steep for the Punjab Kings at this stage. They will have to turn this around and play really well to make it. They have the team, but do they have the belief is what one must ask. At this stage, looking at current form, we will see that PBKS are more than just a spot of bother. They are in danger of missing out altogether since CSK and RR are hot on their heels, and KKR is also there. PBKS and Iyer know they have a battle on their hands.
Let’s see how things unfold for PBKS in their remaining games. But the road ahead looks really steep at this stage,
Also Read:Â PBKS vs DC: PBKS Aims To Get Back To Winning Ways Against Depleted DC