Punjab Kings (PBKS) left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh attributed a conversation with head coach Ricky Ponting to regaining his bowling rhythm in their IPL 2026 match against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday night. Arshdeep’s match-winning performance helped PBKS secure a seven-wicket victory.
Named Player of the Match, Arshdeep said he regained control and confidence following a simple discussion with the coaching staff and a focused training session. “Feels good, it goes back to having a chat with head coach Ricky (Ponting). Told him the ball didn’t feel right when it left my hand. Had a good session yesterday and the control returned, the ball was seaming and swinging,” he said during the post-match presentation.
He added that Ponting helped him manage expectations after his recent success, including strong performances in the T20 World Cup. “The chat was nothing technical. I was expecting too many things from myself. He told me you’re coming off a high from the WC win and you can’t maintain that all the time,” Arshdeep said.
Discussing his bowling variations, Arshdeep mentioned he is still working on his “wobble ball” while adhering to tactical plans during different game phases. “Wide yorkers, I’ve been bowling a lot… the plan is simple if the batters are set and there’s a longer boundary. Sometimes, when the yorker is coming off nicely, or the batter is new, you attack the stumps. When they’re set, you go wide,” he explained.
He also acknowledged his growing popularity, crediting social media for increased fan recognition. “A lot of credit goes to my social media. A lot of them know me from reels and memes,” Arshdeep added.
In the match, Punjab Kings maintained their strong form in IPL 2026 with a commanding seven-wicket win over Mumbai Indians. PBKS moved to the top of the table with four wins and one no-result, surpassing defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Mumbai Indians fell to ninth place with one victory in five games.
Batting first, Mumbai Indians scored 195/6, propelled by Quinton de Kock’s unbeaten 112 off 60 balls and a 122-run partnership with Naman Dhir, who made a quick 50. Arshdeep Singh led PBKS’ bowling with figures of 3/22.
In response, PBKS reached 198/3 in 16.3 overs. Prabhsimran Singh was unbeaten on 80 from 39 balls, while captain Shreyas Iyer contributed 66 off 35 balls. The partnership proved decisive after early setbacks. For Mumbai Indians, Allah Ghazanfar took 2/32, but the bowling attack was largely ineffective as PBKS dominated the chase.
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