Top performers in the first half of the Indian Premier League 2026 season, Punjab Kings have now slumped to five straight defeats. Their last loss against Mumbai Indians on Thursday left co-owner Preity Zinta visibly upset as she had a lengthy discussion with head coach Ricky Ponting after the match.
Zinta was seen in a tense conversation with Ponting after the six-wicket defeat of Punjab at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on 14 May. Punjab failed to defend a total of 200 runs against a Mumbai side missing Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya.
IPL 2026, PBKS vs MI | Highlights | Scorecard
The defeat severely dented Punjab’s playoff hopes. Punjab, who were once among the strongest teams in the competition, now have 13 points from 12 matches and are under serious threat from Chennai Super Kings who have 12 points from 11 matches.
Three consecutive wins for CSK from here could push Punjab out of the top four and complete a dramatic turnaround in the playoffs.
Zinta’s worried expression reflected Ponting’s frustration during the game. The former Australian captain was seen standing near the boundary line outside the dugout during the Mumbai chase and looked unhappy with Punjab’s execution in the death overs.
TILAK VARMA WINS IT FOR ME
Tilak Varma turned the match decisively in Mumbai’s favor with a sensational unbeaten 75 off just 33 balls. The left-hander, who survived a chance earlier in the innings, punished Punjab in the closing overs along with Will Jacks, who chipped in with a quickfire 25 not out from 10 deliveries.
Tilak sealed the win with a towering six off the penultimate ball of the innings, silencing the Dharamsala crowd and handing Mumbai a morale-boosting victory.
Mumbai may no longer be in serious contention for the playoffs, but they continue to play the role of tournament disruptors. They played that role to perfection on Thursday by pushing Punjab further towards the brink of elimination.
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Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
May 15, 2026 0:07 AM IST
