Even with Mumbai Indians sitting where they are in the IPL 2026 standings, former Australia skipper Aaron Finch believes the most threatening sides are often the ones with “nothing to lose.” Finch expects MI to pose a serious challenge when they travel to Dharamsala to face Punjab Kings on Thursday, with pressure mounting on Shreyas Iyer’s group after a four-game skid. Speaking on Jiohotstar, Finch said that regardless of a team’s position on the table, MI will approach the contest with intensity. He added that as the tournament reaches its business end, sides can’t afford to hesitate—because there’s everything to play for when you’re trying to knock another team out of contention.
Finch also shared that he likes the way PBKS attempt games, but he was direct in his assessment of their fielding. Punjab have repeatedly let matches slip through missed opportunities, particularly by dropping key catches at crucial stages. In their last four fixtures, those lapses have swung the momentum and cost them valuable points. After beginning their campaign with a perfect run—remaining unbeaten across their first seven matches—Punjab then lost four straight. This season, they have been responsible for the highest number of missed chances, with 19 catches not taken.
The former captain pointed to individual errors as part of the bigger problem. All-rounder Shashank Singh has dropped five catches by himself, and those misses make up 26.32% of the total chances that have gone astray for Punjab Kings over the past year. After Shashank let a catch slip in a match against SRH, head coach Ricky Ponting described it as a recurring issue for the side. Ponting said, “It has been a bit of a virus for us. We have put a lot of catches down this season.”
Punjab’s spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule echoed the concerns, highlighting that the mistakes have continued even in recent games. Bahutule noted that five catches have been dropped across their last two matches, and he stressed how those errors can disrupt a team’s rhythm. He said, “At the crucial time, we are dropping a catch, which unfortunately is breaking the momentum we were getting. But we will definitely look into it and see how we can just turn it around for ourselves.”
Still hopeful about Punjab’s playoff prospects, Finch urged the players to seize the chances they’ve been giving away. Having played for PBKS in the past, he believes the team’s path forward depends on tightening up in the field. Finch said he wants Punjab to qualify because he appreciates their brand of cricket, but he also urged them to improve immediately: “Just start catching well, please! You are costing yourself so many opportunities.”
Finch concluded by underlining how unforgiving T20 cricket can be. He warned that even top-quality players can’t be left unpunished repeatedly when chances are offered. “Cricket’s hard. It is brutal at the best of times, and you can’t give the best players in the world chances over and over to beat you,” he said.
