PBKS co-owner Preity Zinta with captain Shreyas Iyer after the match. (video capture)
New Delhi: Punjab Kings’ perilous slide from early-season dominance to complete late collapse deepened on Sunday in the ongoing IPL 2026, as a heavy loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru marked their sixth consecutive loss and left their playoff hopes hanging by a thread.Ponting’s disappointment, Zinta’s serious talk with IyerA side that was unstoppable — unbeaten with six wins from seven games and no results in the first half of the season — has now suffered a major stumble at the worst possible time. With momentum waning and confidence seemingly shaken, Punjab Kings are now not only fighting for a win, but also relying on other results to stay alive in the playoff race.The spirit of the fall was evident from the field. The head coach Ricky Ponting He was seen sitting alone in the dugout wearing a dejected, almost resigned expression as another defeat unfolded. At the same time, franchise co-owners Preity Zinta Seen in a serious, extended conversation with the captain. Shreyas Iyer After the match, indicating the growing tension surrounding the team’s campaign.RCB reached the playoffs when PBKS was eliminated again.Royal Challengers Bengaluru, meanwhile, became the first team to confirm a play-off berth with an all-round performance. They piled up at 222/4, with Virat Kohli’s 37-ball 58 and Venkatesh Iyer’s unbeaten 73 off 40, with valuable contributions from Devdutt Pedicel and Tim David.Chasing 223, Punjab Kings were restricted to 199/8 despite Shashank Singh’s 27-ball 56. The defeat extended their losing streak to six matches after a dominant start to the season.Speaking after the match, Shreyas Iyer admitted that the game was effectively decided early. “Obviously, they got off to a great start… I think the match was lost on the power play,” he said.He also hinted at an early collapse of the top order. “We were three down…the start that used to give us on the power play, obviously we didn’t get it this time,” Iyer added.Despite the drop, the PBKS skipper remained undeterred. “I’m always positive regardless of the results,” he said, before adding a philosophical note: “Tomorrow again I’m going to see the sunrise… there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.”
