Brad Haddin, the assistant coach of Punjab Kings, has sought to cut through the chatter around the franchise as they chased a turnaround in IPL 2026. After their latest setback—a last-over defeat to Mumbai Indians that extended their losing run to five straight matches—Haddin stressed that the group remains focused on its own preparation rather than outside noise.
Speaking in Dharamsala on Thursday, May 14, following the match, Haddin said the dressing room environment has been positive. “The dressing room has been in a good place,” he remarked at the post-match media interaction. “I’m not really keeping up with social media, so I’m not aware of what’s being discussed there. But from inside the camp, we’ve just got to keep working out a way to win a cricket game. Whatever external noise exists, that’s part of being a professional in sport.”
He added that success in T20s requires mental readiness as much as skill. “It’s not always only about what happens on the ground,” Haddin said. “You have to manage what’s happening around the team and make sure that when you step over the line you’re in the right frame of mind to play. That’s exactly what we need to do. And at this stage, there’s no point dwelling on ‘what ifs.’”
Punjab Kings had earlier addressed online speculation in the wake of the debate surrounding the team. On Wednesday, the franchise posted a message noting that criticism and banter are part of the game, but warned against fabricated reports used to generate engagement. “Criticism, banter, and opinions are part of sport. Fake stories and made-up narratives for cheap engagement are not. We urge everyone to verify facts before spreading misinformation for attention or traction.”
The defeat in Dharamsala has further tightened Punjab Kings’ path to the playoffs. After leading for stretches in the standings, they now face mounting pressure from Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals as the race for the fourth-place berth grows more competitive. While Mumbai Indians might have already been close to their end in the tournament, the win still offered relief—especially with their own share of discussion swirling online.
In the match at Dharamsala, Mumbai Indians were driven by Jasprit Bumrah. Both Suryakumar Yadav and regular captain Hardik Pandya were unavailable for the game. Pandya, in particular, has been at the centre of ongoing speculation about his future with the franchise. He missed the previous two fixtures due to back spasms, though he had travelled to Raipur—only to be unable to take the field—before moving back to training in Mumbai.
When asked about whether there was any substance behind the rumours, Shardul Thakur responded at the post-match press conference that he expects Pandya to return soon. “There are lots of discussions that happen on social media—some are correct, some are not. But these are also management decisions,” Thakur said. “If we talk about the player, Hardik had an injury, so he couldn’t travel for two games. He did travel to Raipur but wasn’t able to play. Now he is training in Mumbai.”
Despite missing key resources, Mumbai Indians completed the chase of 201. Tilak Varma was the standout in the middle order, coming in at number four and striking an unbeaten 75 off 33 balls, a knock that carried the visitors over the line. With three overs remaining, Mumbai still required 50 runs, but Punjab’s bowlers were unable to land the right areas at crucial moments.
Haddin acknowledged that Punjab Kings have been unable to manage pressure in recent defeats, which has prevented them from producing their best cricket when it matters most. “We just haven’t been able to handle the pressure in the last few defeats,” he said. “We haven’t played our best cricket when we need to, which has been disappointing. We’re as disappointed as you guys there with the way we started the tournament and where we are now.”
Even with losses piling up, Haddin pointed to positives from the match against Mumbai Indians, describing them as “good signs.” He insisted that the tournament situation is not yet closed for Punjab Kings. “The one thing to come out of it is that we’ve got two games of cricket left, and we’ve got to find a way. And now there’s no tomorrow,” Haddin added. “There’s no talking about anything else—we have to win our remaining games now. And that’s as simple as it is.”
