Watch: Preity Zinta’s tense chat with Shreyas, Ponting’s dejected look sum up PBKS collapse

NEW DELHI: Punjab Kings’ alarming descent from early-season dominance to a full-blown precocious illness deepened successful the ongoing IPL 2026 connected Sunday, arsenic a dense decision to Royal Challengers Bengaluru marked their sixth consecutive nonaccomplishment and near their playoff hopes hanging by a thread.Ponting’s dugout despair, Zinta’s superior chat with IyerA broadside that erstwhile looked unstoppable — going unbeaten successful 7 games with six wins and a nary effect successful the archetypal fractional of the play — has present deed a large stumbling artifact astatine the worst imaginable time. With momentum gone and assurance visibly shaken, Punjab Kings are present not conscionable warring for wins, but besides relying connected different results to enactment live successful the playoff race.

The emotion of the illness was evident disconnected the field. Head manager Ricky Ponting was seen successful the dugout wearing a frustrated, astir resigned expression, sitting unsocial arsenic different decision unfolded. At the aforesaid time, franchise co-owner Preity Zinta was spotted successful a serious, extended speech with skipper Shreyas Iyer aft the match, underlining the increasing hostility astir the team’s campaign.

RCB tempest into playoffs arsenic PBKS slice againRoyal Challengers Bengaluru, meanwhile, became the archetypal broadside to corroborate a playoff berth with a commanding all-round performance. They piled up 222/4, powered by Virat Kohli’s 58 disconnected 37 balls and a blazing unbeaten 73 disconnected 40 from Venkatesh Iyer, with invaluable contributions from Devdutt Padikkal and Tim David.Chasing 223, Punjab Kings were restricted to 199/8 contempt a warring 56 disconnected 27 balls from Shashank Singh.

The decision stretched their losing streak to six matches aft a once-dominant commencement to the season.Speaking aft the match, Shreyas Iyer admitted the crippled was efficaciously decided early. “Obviously, they got disconnected to a large start… I deliberation the lucifer was mislaid successful the powerplay,” helium said.He besides pointed to the aboriginal illness of the apical order. “We were 3 down… the starts they utilized to springiness america successful the powerplay, evidently we couldn’t get this time,” Iyer added.Despite the slump, the PBKS skipper remained defiant successful spirit. “I’m ever affirmative irrespective of the results,” helium said, earlier adding a philosophical note: “Tomorrow again I’m going to spot the sunrise… there’s ever airy astatine the extremity of the tunnel.”