What Went Wrong for PBKS?

From title contenders to playoff pressure, PBKS now searching for answers

Punjab Kings started IPL 2026 like a champion team. They were fearless with the bat, aggressive in pressure moments, and looked ready to finish at the top of the table. But now the story has completely changed.

After losing to Mumbai Indians in Dharamsala, PBKS have now lost five matches in a row. Their strong start is the only reason they are still alive in the playoff race. But the confidence that once made them dangerous now looks missing.

PBKS assistant coach Brad Haddin openly admitted that the team is struggling under pressure. According to him, Punjab has not played their best cricket in important moments. He repeated one line again and again after the defeat: “We have to find a way.”

Haddin said the dressing room is hurting after another loss, but the team still believes they can recover. With only two league matches left against Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Lucknow Super Giants, PBKS now have no space for mistakes. They must win both games to stay safe in the playoff race.

PBKS Have Lost Their Confidence With the Bat

One of the biggest reasons behind Punjab’s poor run is their batting. Earlier in the season, PBKS looked unstoppable. They even chased 264 runs against Delhi Capitals with seven balls remaining. During that phase, Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya were giving explosive starts, while Shreyas Iyer was finishing matches brilliantly.

But after that famous chase, the batting unit has slowed down badly.

Former New Zealand pacer Mitchell McClenaghan believes Punjab’s batters have “lost their way.” He said the team looked nervous at the top and showed less intent compared to previous matches. According to him, the pitch was not difficult, but the batters were not playing with confidence.

Even though Cooper Connolly is still contributing, the overall batting unit is no longer dominating attacks like before. The bowlers also have not been able to save the team when the batters fail.

Did PBKS Make a Big Mistake With Chahal?

Another major talking point from the match was the use of Yuzvendra Chahal.

Chahal was bowling very well and had figures of 3 overs, 12 runs, and 1 wicket. But Punjab decided not to bowl him when left-hand batters Tilak Varma and Sherfane Rutherford were at the crease.

Former India batter Abhinav Mukund strongly criticised this decision. He said PBKS have shown fear throughout the season when it comes to bowling Chahal against left-handers.

Later, when Chahal finally bowled his last over, he gave away 20 runs. But before that over, Tilak Varma was struggling against him and scoring almost run-a-ball. Mukund felt Punjab should have trusted their senior spinner earlier instead of holding him back.

According to him, this decision may have cost PBKS the game.

Team Combination Problems Also Hurt Punjab

Punjab also faced problems because they could not use an extra bowler like they normally do. Vishnu Vinod came in as a substitute for Prabhsimran Singh during batting, which changed the balance of the team.

Mukund explained that PBKS looked confused with their bowling plans after losing the flexibility of a sixth bowling option. The team has also used many different fast bowlers this season like Lockie Ferguson, Xavier Bartlett, and Ben Dwarshuis. Because every bowler has different strengths, captains sometimes struggle to decide who should bowl in key overs.

This lack of clarity was visible again against Mumbai Indians.

Can PBKS Still Make the Playoffs?

The good news for Punjab Kings is that their playoff hopes are still alive. Their excellent start to the season has kept them in the top-four race despite five straight defeats.

But now the situation is simple. PBKS must quickly regain confidence and start playing fearless cricket again. The batting unit needs to attack with intent, while the bowling plans must become clearer in pressure moments.

The talent is still there. But unless Punjab Kings learn how to handle pressure better, their IPL 2026 journey could end in disappointment.

                                               

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