Threat of rain looms over PBKS IPL 2026 Playoff chances (Image: IPL/BCCI) Punjab Kings face Mumbai Indians in a must-win clash to boost their play-off hopes, but impending rain in Dharamshala during the match could affect Punjab Kings’ chances.The Dharamshala weather forecast suggests a high 55% to 60% chance of rain and thunderstorms for today’s match, so a rain break or complete washout is highly possible. The India Meteorological Department has issued a ‘yellow alert’ for the Kangra Valley as heavy downpours and cloudy skies have already disrupted pre-match training sessions at the HPCA Stadium. Punjab Kings are currently in 4th place with 13 points and a Net Run Rate (NRR) of +0.428 from 11 matches. They are closely followed by Chennai Super Kings (+0.185 NRR) and Rajasthan Royals (+0.082 NRR) who both have 12 points.If the IPL 2026 encounter in Dharamsala is washed out due to rain, both teams will receive one point each, resulting in a ‘no result’. With Mumbai Indians already mathematically eliminated from the play-offs, shared points would have very different implications for the two sides.
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What this means for Punjab Kings (PBKS)
A washout would take PBKS to 14 points, which would help them maintain a slight cushion over chasing teams like Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, who are both currently on 12 points.The bigger concern for Punjab, however, would be the impact on their two biggest hopes. Without the result, their maximum possible points would reach 18 if they win their remaining two matches against Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Lucknow Super Giants. This would greatly reduce their chances of overtaking table-toppers RCB and Gujarat Titans, who are both sitting on 16 points. It would also mark Punjab’s second abandoned game of the season, making them the only team in the current top four to rely on split points rather than outright wins.
What it means for Mumbai Indians (MI)
Mumbai Indians, who are already out of contention for the play-offs, would be denied the opportunity to play spoiler against their direct rival in the play-off. However, a single point would put MI slightly ahead of Lucknow Super Giants in the bottom half of the table, which would marginally help their quest to avoid a bottom-of-the-table finish.
