PBKS head coach in a long discussion with Preity Zinta (Image: X)
Punjab Kings took another big hit after slumping to a fifth straight defeat and co-owner Preity Zinta and head coach Ricky Ponting took another big hit to their playoff hopes after a heartbreaking loss.Mumbai Indians (MI) beat Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 6 wickets with just 1 ball to play in an IPL 2026 thriller at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala. Chasing an imposing target of 201, MI reached 205/4 in 19.5 overs, riding on an explosive unbeaten 75 from Tilak Varma. The loss marks the fifth defeat in a row for the Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings, which has severely damaged their hopes of qualifying for the playoffs.Punjab Kings posted a strong 200 on the back of explosive knocks from Prabhsimran Singh (57 off 32) and late fireworks from Azmatullah Omarzai (38 off 17), despite a middle-order collapse triggered by Shardul Thakur’s brilliant 4/39 for Mumbai Indians.
Will Punjab Kings qualify for the playoffs this season?
In reply, Ryan Rickelton’s blazing 48 off 23 gave MI a flying start before Tilak Varma under pressure produced a composed innings that won the match. Alongside a quick cameo from Will Jacks, Tilak guided MI through a thrilling finish and sealed a thrilling victory with a six on the penultimate ball of the match. After the match, PBKS co-owner Preity Zinta and coach Ricky Ponting engaged in an intense and lengthy discussion. Photos and videos of the meeting went viral. Now, after their 6-wicket defeat against Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings (PBKS) are 4th in the IPL 2026 points table with 13 points from 12 matches (6 wins, 5 losses, 1 no result) and a Net Run Rate (NRR) of +0.355. Five straight losses have seen their odds of qualifying for the play-offs drop to 43.8%, meaning their remaining two league games are effectively virtual knockouts. The primary competition for the 4th spot in Punjab comes from Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR), both of whom are lurking closely with games in hand.
