Punjab Kings’ IPL campaign has taken an abrupt turn into uncertainty. After a bright opening stretch that delivered six victories and 13 points without a single loss, the franchise has remained stuck on that same points tally five matches later—despite suffering a heavy run of five straight defeats.
When a slide of this magnitude arrives, it quickly becomes a concern for everyone connected to the team. That includes the individuals who may not influence proceedings directly from the field, but who are still expected to steer decisions in the background. Shreyas Iyer has been captaining PBKS on the pitch and carrying much of the visible responsibility as Punjab Kings lost their fifth consecutive match against Mumbai Indians in Dharamshala. Yet the most telling moment may have come after the game, when coach Ricky Ponting was seen having a tense exchange with owner Preity Zinta, with both appearing visibly serious.
Broadcast footage showed Zinta speaking with Ponting while he wore a subdued expression, even turning his gaze away instead of looking at his shoes. While the exact subject matter and tone of that conversation cannot be confirmed, the circumstances make it easy to guess the general direction—what has gone wrong, and what needs to change to stop the slide.
PBKS’ recent context and the pressure building
Zinta’s relationship with the current Punjab setup has been widely regarded as strong and supportive. Ponting and Iyer have played key roles in leading this group to the franchise’s second-place final appearance in 2025. Over the last two seasons, the mood around PBKS has generally been energetic and upbeat, with a positive atmosphere around the squad.
However, the recent losing streak has inevitably brought strain closer to the surface. The IPL has previously seen hands-on ownership involvement with team matters, including instances like LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka’s public reprimand of KL Rahul in an earlier season. Zinta is also known to interact with PBKS personnel during matches and across the years. Still, it has rarely—if ever—been with the kind of shadow now present.
What happened in Dharamshala so far
In Dharamshala, Punjab Kings have already lost both matches they have played this season. They posted 210 against Delhi Capitals and 200 against Mumbai Indians, but results did not follow either effort. Despite that, PBKS looked competitive in the early phases of both contests—taking early wickets against DC and keeping a tight grip on the run rate versus MI. The turning point came during the finishing overs: first, David Miller and Ashutosh Sharma provided the late thrust against Delhi, and then on Thursday night, Tilak Varma and Will Jacks completed the job to help Mumbai secure victory.
With those late surges defining both games, the home stand in the Himalayas has not delivered the desired outcomes for Punjab Kings so far.
