Punjab Kings (PBKS) lost again for the sixth consecutive time this season and all in the month of May 2026. This time they went down chasing by 22 runs to the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) who became the first team to officially qualify for the playoffs. RCB achieved this without their regular skipper Rajat Patidar as Jitesh Sharma led the side in his absence. PBKS repeated similar mistakes and paid the price for it and we will try and analyse what’s going wrong or went wrong for the Kings in Dharamsala.
Lagging behind in power play overs in both innings made the difference in the match
PBKS got what they wanted and that was to chase. They even got an early wicket as comeback man Harpreet Brar removed Jacob Bethell for a low score. But then RCB counter-attacked courtesy of Devdutt Padikkal. While Virat Kohli played his game and played to the merit of the ball, Padikkal took the attack and gave the much-needed impetus to the innings which helped Kohli. It meant RCB got 61/1 in the 6 overs and had the platform with wickets in hand to reach over 200.
Compare that to the chase of 223, PBKS would have hoped for a solid start similar on the lines of RCB, if not better but have wickets in hand as well. But unfortunately for them, it was a disastrous start. Both Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh fell for single-digit scores, and to add to the woes Shreyas Iyer the captain too fell for 1 as PBKS were rocked early to be reduced to 19/3 in the 4th over.
PBKS needs to thank Cooper Connolly and Suryansh Shedge as they counter-attacked a little in the remainder of the power play and got the score to 49/3 in 6 overs to give some sort of respectability. But PBKS had lost the power play. They were 12 runs behind RCB which is not huge, but had lost 2 extra wickets at the same time. This really hurt them and with the chase as daunting as 220+, PBKS were always playing catch-up. They did well to fight, but it was a bridge too far for them and credit to RCB for executing their game-plan.
PBKS’ hopes hang by a thread with destiny not in their hands at this stage. So, in order to finally get a win in their last league game, they will hope to get things right like the openers giving them starts and Iyer getting back to form. With the ball, they were decent as they have limitations there but this aspect of batting needs to be spot on in Lucknow on Saturday night.
Conceding 65 runs in the back 5 overs gave the momentum away to RCBÂ
RCB were always ahead in the game and it never looked like PBKS were in the game one bit after the toss. From the power play phase to the middle overs, RCB were maintaining a good tempo while PBKS tried to hang in there with their weak bowling form. RCB lost Virat Kohli by the end of the 15th over but were well-placed at 157/3 in 15 overs after Kohli made 58 and Padikkal 45. But there was one man who shone through and may have come out of syllabus for the Kings.
Venkatesh Iyer stood up to the plate in the absence of Rajat Patidar and he was unstoppable throughout and was well-set for the last 5 overs. Tim David was with him and the duo drove home RCB’s advantage to get them to an above par score. Venkatesh did most of the scoring and remained unbeaten on 73 off 40 balls. But David also chipped in with a more than valuable 28 off 12 balls and was dismissed off the final ball of the innings. The visitors got 65 runs in the back 5 overs for the loss of one wicket.
This gave the whole momentum to RCB as that is the key in T20 cricket. RCB then carried that momentum in to the second innings and struck thrice inside 4 overs to further heap the pressure on Punjab. Punjab lagged behind and despite the recovery they were behind RCB after 15 overs and needed 77 off 30 balls. They eventually lost by 22 runs. It shows that had RCB got 200-210, PBKS may have tracked it down. 222 was a bit beyond them.
The bowling is a concern for PBKS especially in the end overs as they concede a lot in the end. Against MI, they could not defend 50 off 18 balls. Here, bowling first they gave 65 runs in 30 balls. Punjab’s bowling is a concern and they don’t have alternatives to fix it. So, they have to live with it. Against LSG, we may see a different type of pitch and so, they will have to adjust and play accordingly to keep their hopes alive. That match is a must-win for PBKS.
Yuzvendra Chahal leaking runs in middle overs, a concern for PBKS
It is true that Yuzvendra Chahal has not been used as much as one would have liked from PBKS management. Having said that, when he has bowled it’s not been the usual Chahal we know. Yes, he is a wicket-taker and many catches as many as 8 catches have been dropped off his bowling in this season. But that does not change the fact that Chahal hasn’t been at his best whatsoever. He is bowling well in patches, but invariably gives away plenty in one over of his spell.
Let’s take the case from yesterday’s game. Chahal was introduced just after the power play, the right time to bring him in. Shreyas wanted control, but Chahal went for 21 in his opening over. Once that happens, it really makes the captain’s job a living hell. He came back and bowled a 8-run over. Thereafter, he came and picked up Virat Kohli, which is great for him but went for 15 in that over. He finished with 1/42 in 3 overs before Iyer and management subbed him off.
The Kings didn’t have the confidence to give him his final over in the death overs since Chahal bowled and rightly so. Who knows, he might have given more runs and would have had 60 runs written to his name in 4 overs. Chahal is supposed to control middle overs through wickets and keeping the runs down. Here, he is neither taking wickets nor controlling the run flow.
The last match in the league stage takes place in Lucknow. The pitch may favour the spinners. So, Chahal needs to find his mojo back. PBKS needs him to deliver the goods there and if he does not then trouble could be brewing for PBKS. So, it is very imperative for Chahal to introspect and come back stronger in their final league game.
What Lies Ahead
So, PBKS now have work to do and wait for other results to go their way before they play on Saturday night against LSG in Lucknow. RCB, on the other hand, will face SRH in Hyderabad in the last league game on Friday night. Get set for the Southern Derby as CSK faces SRH in Chennai. CSK needs a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. A win for SRH sends them and GT into the playoffs, while CSK win keeps all spots wide open and guarantees top-2 finish for RCB.
A lot riding on tonight’s clash. Let’s see how it pans out later tonight in Chennai.
Also Read: PBKS vs RCB: Venkatesh Iyer’s Blazing Knock Seals Playoff Berth