A stumble late in the game changed everything for Punjab Kings in IPL 2026. Top of the ladder once, thanks to a blistering opening stretch, they now face an abrupt fall short of the finish line. May 17 brought another setback, this time against Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 23 runs under the shadowed hills of Dharamsala.
That match wasn’t just a loss; it handed RCB their playoff ticket on a quiet evening at HPCA Stadium. Shreyas Iyer watched his team slip again, momentum draining drop by drop into doubt.
Punjab Kings find themselves on shaky ground after the loss, control slipping away. One match left in the group stage, yet hopes depend on others’ outcomes now. A steep fall follows what once looked like steady momentum – seven wins at the start fooled everyone. Few saw this unraveling coming.
How can PBKS still qualify for the IPL 2026 playoffs?
Chasing big runs again, RCB reached 222 for four thanks to solid work up front. Off the bat, Kohli stayed steady – his 58 from 37 kept things smooth. Padikkal mixed caution with speed, then Iyer stepped in, pushing without stumbling. Even when PBKS found rhythm in patches, boundaries trickled steadily.
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Out came trouble early when Priyansh Arya walked back without scoring in the first over. With each delivery, things got heavier as runs refused to flow and batters kept falling. Just past four overs, down to 38 for three, the chase already felt like climbing a wall.
Fighting back during the middle phase, Cooper Connolly stood firm beside Shashunk Singh just as the scoring need began to climb.
Pressure built slowly – then suddenly demanded bolder hits than either felt ready to play. From the other end, Bhuvneshwar Kumar kept things tight early, while Josh Hazlewood found sharp lines whenever momentum threatened to shift. Even Suyash Sharma stepped in with a timely breakthrough when the game hung in the balance. Each wicket arrived right when PBKS looked set to break free.
Punjab Kings need a win over Lucknow Super Giants on May 23 – just one chance left – if they want any hope of reaching the playoffs. Losing means ending up stuck at 13 points, their journey done before the knockout stage even begins.
A victory might still leave things uncertain. Should results swing another way, sides such as Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals, or even Sunrisers Hyderabad could end up ahead of PBKS.
Losing to RCB wiped out their chance to land in the top two. Once seen as real challengers early on, the Punjab Kings are now capped at 15 points.
Should they somehow reach the playoffs, claiming the title demands winning three straight knockouts – starting with the Eliminator, then Qualifier 2, and ending in the Final.
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Facing more pressure, PBKS could lose their top-four spot should Rajasthan Royals defeat Delhi Capitals later that day, adding to the tangled chase for a playoff place.
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