Stop the clock. After losing 6 back to back games, Punjab Kings have finally found a way to win again in the Indian Premier League. Nearly a month after their last victory, the Kings dug deep and grinded out a crucial win to keep themselves alive in the playoffs race.
Playing against Rishabh Pant’s Lucknow Super Giants, Shreyas Iyer, the proverbial ‘Sarpanch’ of Punjab Kings, took it upon himself to guide the team to a much-needed victory, snapping their six-match losing streak in IPL 2026.
With the win, Punjab completed their league-stage campaign with 15 points from 14 matches, keeping themselves in contention for the playoffs, just about.
LSG vs PBKS, IPL 2026: UPDATES | SCORECARD
Three spots have already been sealed this season, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans and SunRisers Hyderabad all finishing with 18 points. The fight for the final remaining playoff spot is now between Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals. Punjab’s win on Saturday also officially knocked Delhi Capitals out of the race. DC have 12 points from 13 games and can no longer reach the minimum points tally required to break into the top four this season.
And the win came after a lot of sacrifice. Jarred with on and off field controversies, Punjab looked in a tough sport at the start of the game.
And like every good leader, Shreyas led from the front, so that Punjab can come out of that limbo today. First, Shreyas was brilliant with his captaincy. When his premier bowler Arshdeep Singh sprayed runs all over the park at the Ekana Stadium on Saturday, Shreyas switched things and relied heavily on his bowling changes to pull the match back.
Then came the chase.
In the second innings, Shreyas took matters into his own hands to guide Punjab over the line in a tricky 197-run chase. The captain had to grind through the early phase of his innings after Punjab’s openers once again struggled inside the powerplay.
Priyansh Arya fell for a golden duck to Mohammed Shami in the very first over, while Prabhsimran Singh found it difficult to get going during the opening exchanges.
By the time Shreyas walked out to bat, alarm bells were already ringing in the Punjab dugout. It felt as though the lessons from the previous losses had not been learnt, and Punjab once again looked vulnerable to a collapse.
But Shreyas was not willing to let this one slip away.
The Punjab captain, who himself had struggled for fluency in the previous few matches, initially shielded Prabhsimran during the tougher phase of the chase, allowing the youngster time to settle on a slightly tricky Ekana surface.
Once the pitch eased out under lights, Prabhsimran began to free his arms and eventually brought up his fifty in just 28 balls, briefly taking the spotlight away from his captain.
But the final act belonged entirely to Shreyas.
The Punjab skipper exploded in the final overs of the chase, striking sixes with complete disdain, almost as if he wanted to remind everyone that his lean patch was only a temporary blip in form.
Batting on 95 not out in the 18th over with just three runs needed for victory, Shreyas backed himself to finish in style. Mohsin Khan missed his length ever so slightly, and Shreyas slogged the pacer high over cow corner to bring up his maiden IPL century.
The Punjab dugout erupted in relief.
Not only had the Kings managed to keep themselves alive in the playoffs race, but they had also found a way to win on a night where several things had not gone according to plan.
Punjab Kings will now turn their attention towards Rajasthan Royals’ clash against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday afternoon. If Rajasthan win, they will directly seal the fourth playoff spot.
But if Rajasthan lose, Punjab Kings will thank their lucky stars and fly back to Mullanpur for what would become a virtual knockout clash against SunRisers Hyderabad on Wednesday, May 27.
Full match report to follow…
IPL 2026 | IPL Schedule | IPL Points Table | IPL Player Stats | Purple Cap | Orange Cap | IPL Videos | Cricket News | Live Score
– Ends