IPL 2026 Points Table after Match 24: Punjab Kings rise to No.1 as Mumbai Indians struggle at ninth | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: Punjab Kings continued their dominant run in the ongoing IPL 2026 season, dismantling Mumbai Indians by seven wickets to climb to the top of the points table on Thursday. The victory ensured Punjab remain the only unbeaten side in the tournament so far, extending their strong start to nine points from five matches.

The win pushed PBKS ahead of defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals, who are now second and third on the table with eight points each. RCB, led by Rajat Patidar, hold a slight edge on net run rate (+1.503), the best in the season so far, while RR trail closely behind. The top three remain tightly packed, separated by only a point, setting up an intense race for the top spots in the coming fixtures.At the other end of the table, Mumbai Indians’ struggles deepened with their fourth defeat in five matches. The five-time champions are languishing in ninth place in the ten-team standings with just two points, sitting just above Kolkata Knight Riders, who remain winless with one point from a rain-affected fixture against PBKS earlier in the season.

The mid-table battle remains equally congested, with Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants and Chennai Super Kings all locked on four points each. Sunrisers Hyderabad currently occupy fourth spot on net run rate, with Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants and Chennai Super Kings following in close succession, underlining how little separates the middle order of the table at this stage of the competition.With Punjab in imperious form and several teams tightly bunched behind them, the IPL 2026 standings remain finely poised as the tournament heads into a crucial phase.