Punjab Kings co-owner Preity Zinta has responded to the franchise’s first setback of IPL 2026, after PBKS suffered a hard-fought defeat against Rajasthan Royals in their last match at home in Mullanpur on Tuesday. Led by Shreyas Iyer, Punjab may have come up short in front of their home crowd, but the team will now shift its remaining home games to its second venue, Dharamsala.
After the loss, Zinta took to X to assess where the side stands in the season and to steady the mood around the squad. In her post, she acknowledged that the result at the Punjab home ground was not what the team wanted, while stressing that PBKS are still positioned at the top of the points table with the tournament still only halfway through. She also made it clear that there are more opportunities ahead, and that the focus remains on turning the coming matches into wins.
“Last home game in Punjab didn’t turn out as we wanted at our home ground but Koi na …. Lot more games ahead of us. Thanks to the incredible performance by our Sher Squad, we are sitting on top of the points table, half way into the tournament, which makes me very happy,” Zinta wrote in her caption accompanying the video.
Alongside her reaction to the match, the veteran Bollywood star also shared a personal message to PBKS supporters, thanking them for their continuous backing both inside the stadium and beyond it. She highlighted how much the fan support has meant to the team and said her shared aim is to make IPL 2026 unforgettable for them. “Our fans have showed us so much love n support in & outside the stadium, & have been beyond incredible. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank every single one of you that came out to support PBKS in the stadium, on social media everywhere else. Our only goal is to make IPL 2026 memorable for all of you…. that’s why – Bas Jeetna Hai,” she added.
For the game against Rajasthan, Zinta also appeared in a red Phulkari dupatta, and later explained the story behind it. She revealed that the 26-year-old piece was gifted to her by a Punjabi fan who insisted she wear it for the match, saying she hoped the gesture would make the giver happy as it did for her—because it carries a personal connection and a special memory. Zinta used the moment to talk about Phulkari as a vibrant form of folk embroidery created by local artisans, noting that the tradition is “dying” and expressing her desire to help keep it alive.
“This red Phulkari Dupatta is 26 year old was gifted to me by a Punjabi fan who insisted I wear it for the game so here it is. I’m sure this will make her happy, as it made me, wearing a part of her very special memory. Phulkari is a beautiful but dying art of vibrant folk embroidery by local artisans & I hope to promote & represent them by wearing these dupattas for our cricket games. I hope I can help in reviving this tradition in a small way so we never stop being proud of where we come from & who we are,” Zinta said.
