IPL 2026: Here's how Punjab Kings went from leaders to pleaders

Shreya Iyer. Pic/IPL

Home defeat to RR (April 28)

Despite posting a challenging 228-4 in New Chandigarh, the PBKS bowlers struggled to tame RR openers Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (43), Yashasvi Jaiswal (51) before middle-order batters Donovan Ferreira (52 not out) and Shubham Dubey (31 not out) finished it off. RR chased the total with six wickets and four balls to spare.

Away defeat to GT (May 3)

After being put in on a tough Ahmedabad pitch, PBKS struggled. Their top five batters managed just 36, eventually finishing on 163-9. The PBKS bowlers then couldn't extract any help from the pitch, as GT's Sai Sudharsan (57) and Washington Sundar (40 not out) ensured a four-wkt win with one ball to spare.

Away defeat to SRH (May 6)

Opting to bowl on a flat Hyderabad track, PBKS's four pacers went in excess of 10 runs per over, failing to claim enough wickets as SRH posted 235-4. In reply, Cooper Connolly (107 not out) was the lone warrior as PBKS finished at 202-7, losing the games by 33 runs.

Home defeat to DC (May 11)

PBKS posted 210-5 at Dharamsala, thanks to Priyansh Arya (56) and skipper Shreyas Iyer (59 not out). The PBKS pacers then picked three early wickets too, but couldn't land the finishing blow as DC skipper Axar Patel (56) and David Miller (51) took the visitors home with three wickets and an over to spare.

Home defeat to MI (May 14)

Opener Prabhsimran Singh (57) and Azmatullah Omarzai (38) helped PBKS post 200-8 after being put in at Dharamsala. However, PBKS pacers were costly again as Tilak Varma (75 not out) took MI over the line with six wickets and one ball to spare.