Punjab Kings (PBKS) assistant coach Brad Haddin has warned his players to pull up their socks as there’s no margin for error anymore. The PBKS side started their tournament unbeaten in their first seven games of the IPL 2026. They now find themselves in a desperate situation after losing 5 games in a row. Their latest defeat against the Mumbai Indians (MI) on Thursday has complicated the playoff qualification scenario, with the team now needing to win both of their remaining matches in order to enter the next phase of the tournament.
After winning 6 off their first 7 games, with one match being a No Result, PBKS looked set to secure one of the top two spots. However, a lot has changed since then, with the finalists from the IPL 2025 season no longer secure of a top 4 finish anymore and having serious work to do in their remaining two matches.
Brad Haddin’s candid take on the position of PBKS
Speaking to the media in the post-match press conference after the game, Brad Haddin admitted that the players have to put 100% of their focus on the remaining games as they can no longer leave anything for tomorrow.
Brad Haddin said, “We’ve still got two games to go. And the one thing is that destiny is still in our hands. We have to find a way. And now, there’s no tomorrow. There’s no talking about anything else. We have to win our remaining games now. And that’s as simple as it is. We’re as disappointed as you guys with the way we started the tournament and where we are now. We have to find a way now to play our best cricket in the next couple of games to hopefully get the opportunity to play in the finals.”Â
Punjab Kings haven’t been able to perform in pressure situations, but Haddin said that IPL is such a tournament where handling big moments isn’t optional. He urged his players to step up and play their best cricket in the remaining two league fixtures.
Brad Haddin further added, “I think the whole tournament, it’s pressure the whole time. And especially this stage where we’re at the tournament, this is what IPL cricket is about. You’ve got to be able to handle the big moments, you’ve got to be able to handle pressure. We just haven’t been able to handle the pressure in the last few defeats. We haven’t played our best cricket when we need to, which has been disappointing. You’ve got to not think about the outcome. You’ve got to make sure you find a way to get yourself involved in the game.”Â
Brad Haddin’s views on outside noise and social media affecting PBKS players
Brad Haddin was also asked about the outside noise and social media chatter around the team’s poor run over the last 5 games. He said that the players are only focused on what is happening inside the camp. As for the outside noise, he said that it is a part of professional sports.
Brad Haddin asserted, “The dressing room has been good. I’m not up with social media, so I don’t know really what the situation is there. But from inside the camp, we’ve just got to find a way to win a cricket game. Whatever the external noise is, that’s part of playing a professional sport. It’s not always just about the field. You’ve got to deal with everything outside it and make sure when you get across that line, you’re in the right headspace to play.”Â
Punjab Kings are next set to play Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Sunday. The road ahead is steep for the Punjab Kings (PBKS), but they need to believe in themselves and know that destiny is indeed in their hands to get the job done and reach the playoffs. Yes, they have left it too late, but now they must find a way of beating the defending champions, RCB, before locking horns with Lucknow next Saturday at the Ekana Stadium. No game is easy in IPL 2026.
Let’s see how PBKS rally from here, or will they sink further in this tournament?
Also Read:Â PBKS vs MI: 3 Reasons For PBKS’ Gut-Wrenching Loss To MI