Punjab Kings will look to halt their unexpected slide in the second half of the IPL when they take on a struggling Delhi Capitals side in Dharamsala on Monday. With their home stretch featuring three matches at the HPCA Stadium continuing until May 17, PBKS will be hoping the familiar conditions help them regain momentum after defeats in each of their previous three league outings. The team may not be in panic mode—Punjab Kings were the only unbeaten outfit earlier in the campaign—but they now need to tighten their fundamentals as the league stage heads toward its decisive phase.
Key takeaways
- Punjab Kings host Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala on Monday, with a home-leg of three matches at the HPCA Stadium running until May 17.
- PBKS have lost their last three league games, and their catching and bowling have both come under pressure.
- Delhi Capitals have dropped five of their last six matches and are sliding towards the lower end of the points table.
- Delhi’s batting struggles have been exposed on slow, turning tracks, while their fielding has also added to the problems.
- Shreyas Iyer urged PBKS to return to the mindset that delivered them success earlier in the season.
Punjab Kings seek a return to their early-season rhythm
In their recent outing in Hyderabad, Punjab Kings’ catching was described as poor, and the bowling unit—led by Arshdeep Singh—has been conceding runs too easily. At the same time, the momentum provided earlier by the opening partnership of Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh has faded, with their ability to get the innings going now looking less consistent.
Shreyas Iyer has been leading from the front for PBKS, and with at least a couple of victories still needed to keep their playoff chances alive, he wants the group to stick to the same approach that brought them results in the opening portion of the tournament. In T20 cricket, momentum can change quickly, and Punjab Kings will be eager to build it again as soon as their next fixture begins.
After the loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad, Iyer said he believed the tournament had started like a “fairytale,” with everyone in excellent shape mentally and with a top-level mindset. He added that it is important not to get pulled into negativity, but instead to look back at what went wrong in the most recent three matches and come back stronger.
Delhi Capitals’ slump continues as they look ahead to 2025
Delhi Capitals, meanwhile, are already thinking beyond the current season after a run of results that has seen them lose five of their last six matches. That sequence has pushed them close to the bottom of the table. Their recent home form has been described as difficult, so they will welcome a shift in conditions for the trip to Dharamsala.
Delhi’s batting has struggled to adjust on slower, turning surfaces, which has revealed their vulnerabilities. The impact of an underwhelming phase from premier spinner Kuldeep Yadav has only intensified their difficulties, and while Mitchell Starc has arrived in the squad, it may be “too late” to change the trajectory of their campaign. Just like Punjab Kings, Delhi’s fielding has also been a concern, contributing to the pressure they have faced in matches.
Following their defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders, captain Axar Patel acknowledged that there is still a long way to go, but also suggested that next year is where the planning needs to be focused. He said Delhi would reflect on the options they can consider for the following season, including assessing players who are currently on the bench and deciding who should receive opportunities, along with what changes might be required.
Mathematically, Delhi are not completely eliminated from the playoff race, but it is widely viewed as highly unlikely that they will progress further in the tournament.
