Punjab Kings’ fortunes took another sharp turn on Sunday, with the franchise sliding to a sixth straight loss in IPL 2026. Shreyas Iyer’s side had looked dominant during the early stretch of the competition, winning six matches in a row, but they have since lost their momentum in the second half. Playing defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Dharamsala, PBKS were beaten by 23 runs, a result that has left them close to the edge of elimination. Amid the mounting pressure on the squad, bowling coach James Hopes publicly backed pace spearhead Arshdeep Singh, who has faced scrutiny for both his spells on the field and reported issues away from it.
Arshdeep has struggled to find his rhythm this season. In the match versus RCB, he conceded 43 runs while taking just one wicket across his four overs, a return that intensified discussions around his form. When questioned about the criticism surrounding the pacer, Hopes pushed back against the idea that Arshdeep’s performances were being affected by distractions from social media. Instead, he pointed to a broader team problem—PBKS’ inability to manage crucial pressure moments during games.
“I think, to be honest, Arshdeep bowled well in the back half of the tournament—like, very well. He’s been aggressive. There’s been players and misses. There’s been catches dropping short of people, and some missed opportunities. He fronts up every training session, every game, ready to go. And today was no different. He’s a warrior,” Hopes said during the post-match press conference.
Hopes also insisted that off-field factors had not derailed the campaign. “I don’t think any off-field stuff derailed our campaign. What derailed our campaign was our inability to take control of the momentum in games. Every time it looked like we were about to do it, we’d do something to hurt ourselves or trip ourselves up,” he added.
With only one fixture remaining against Lucknow Super Giants, Punjab Kings face a demanding situation. They need to win their last match, but they will also have to depend on outcomes elsewhere to keep their playoff chances alive. After PBKS’ defeat, RCB confirmed top-end qualification by becoming the first team to lock in a spot for the IPL 2026 Playoffs.
