Punjab Kings in freefall after 6 straight defeats. Can they still make the playoffs?

The situation has become increasingly alarming for Punjab Kings in IPL 2026. Once the players on the table after a flying start, PBKS have now suffered a dramatic mid-season collapse, falling out of momentum at the worst possible time. On Sunday, May 17 Shreyas Iyer’s men fell by 23 runs at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) officially booked their place in the playoffs.

Their defeat added to the pressure. The loss not only denied them key points but also pushed them into a scenario where they are no longer in control of qualifying. With just one league game left, PBKS are in all kinds of trouble. Their plight is all the more shocking given that they started their campaign on a seven-game unbeaten run.

PBKS vs RCB: HIGHLIGHTS | SCORECARD

On Sunday, RCB posted a strong 222 for four, fueled by a fluid top-order effort. Virat Kohli led the charge with 58 off 37 balls, setting the pace early on, while Devdutt Padikkal and Venkatesh Iyer provided a steady pace in the middle overs. RCB maintained a healthy score throughout and finished well, passing 220 despite disciplined spells from the PBKS bowlers.

In response, PBKS suffered an early setback as Priyansh Arya was dismissed for a duck in the first over, which immediately put them under pressure. Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals with the RCB attack effectively controlling the power play. At one stage, PBKSs were reduced to 38 for three out of five operations as they struggled to build meaningful partnerships.

Brief resistance came from Cooper Connolly and Shashank Singh, but the increasing pace required forced risky shots. Led by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood and Suyash Sharma, the RCB bowling unit kept things tight and struck at key moments. Despite some middle-order cameos, PBKS never recovered from the early collapse.

How can Punjab Kings make it to IPL 2026 playoffs?

PBKS will play their last league match against Lucknow Super Giants on May 23 and must win this match to keep their playoff hopes alive. If PBKS lose this game, they will finish on 13 points and out of the competition.

Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad can move PBKS further in the points table even if they manage to win their last match.

Moreover, after the defeat to RCB, PBKS will not finish in the top two, which once seemed highly likely after their extraordinary run in the first half of the tournament.

However, they can now reach a maximum of 15 points, which means that even if they qualify for the playoffs, they would need to win three games on the trot (Eliminator, Qualifier 2 and Final) to claim the title.

If Rajasthan Royals beat Delhi Capitals on Sunday, PBKS will also drop out of the top four and drop to fifth place in the points table.

– The end

Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

17 May 2026 20:46 IST