It’s not lack of consistency anymore, it’s collapse that is Punjab Kings’ biggest worry this season. It was a good start to IPL 2026 campaign but now it has become a nightmare for the bowling attack of the team and the numbers are now very hard to ignore.
Punjab then came back from another huge blow in the loss against Royal Challengers Bengaluru and started a list that no team would like to be in. The side now have more than 200 runs to cross in the current T20 season than any other team in the history of professional cricket.
When you look at that figure it speaks volumes about the path they are on in their campaign.
However, earlier in the tournament, Punjab appeared to be one of the strongest teams in the tournament. They hit the ball comfortably, they picked up victories efficiently, and everyone seemed to be a different team to teams of the past. However, as games continued one problem kept cropping up — the lack of control of scoring in pressure overs.
It has not been confined to any particular bowler or any particular part of the innings. Both the opposition teams have kicked in to Punjab in the powerplay, middle and death overs. Experts have not been able to slow down batters once they get the momentum going when it comes to attack.
The worse part about it is that the Punjab bowling setup was decent even before the season began. There was international experience on the team and variety so expectations were much higher. On the contrary, however, flat deliveries, execution failures and lack of control in pressure situations have made it one of the most challenging periods in the history of the IPL for this bowler.
The result is now also reflected in the points table! A team that seemed to be in the race for the playoffs and then loses a series of games.
It’s not just about the tactics for wicketkeeper-batsman Shreyas Iyer and the coaching staff, it’s psychological. Playing a lot of huge runs and still failing to win can make people lose confidence in the tourney as intense as the IPL.
But if Punjab don’t find answers soon, IPL 2026 could come to be remembered more for their strong start than the unwanted record that followed them throughout the season.