How Punjab Kings went from fan favourites to frustration
If examined closely, the collapse of the Punjab Kings was a classic case of self-sabotage.
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Seasons come and go in the IPL. Then some stories get remembered for a long time. And this time, it has to be the story of Punjab Kings. Even fans who did not support the Punjab Kings were rooting for them when they started so strongly that everyone wanted them to win. But it seemed karma had its own way of striking back, thanks to their constant “trolling” of other teams. It felt as if someone had cast an evil eye on them. Because what happened after their six wins was something many had never witnessed before. We have seen teams make comebacks after losing six matches in a row and still qualify for the playoffs, but for PBKS, it went the other way around.
If examined closely, their collapse was a classic case of self-sabotage. Dropped catches, missed stumpings, and overall poor fielding killed their momentum.
Veteran India opener Virender Sehwag, who has previously played and coached for Punjab, compared PBKS’ situation to CSK and said the franchise had hit the axe on their own foot.
"PBKS have taken the axe from CSK, because in five of those seven matches, they struck themselves on the foot. They should have won atleast 2-3 of those. Some huge mistakes were made," Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.
According to the Indian Express, they dropped a staggering 16 out of 56 catching opportunities across the season. Shashank Singh became the symbol of this curse, dropping five straightforward catches, while Nehal Wadhera topped the unwanted list with seven drops. Coach Ricky Ponting, one of the finest all-round fielders of all time, likened it to a virus that spread throughout their camp. Skipper Shreyas Iyer termed it the “biggest setback of the season.”
While Punjab’s explosive batting lineup dominated the first half of the season, it was the bowling unit that needed much attention. It felt like the management showed zero trust in spinners. Punjab's spin unit bowled a combined total of just 59 overs all season, the lowest of any team. This is something which is rare to see in IPL. Legend Yuzvendra Chahal was under-utilized who managed to get only 12 wickets in 14 games. Left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar, despite being the most economical bowler (7.50), was benched after just two matches.
Meanwhile, this put pressure on the pace, especially in the death overs. According to the reports, nine out of the 12 bowlers used by Punjab Kings conceded runs at an economy rate above 10. Consequently, they failed to defend 200-plus scores three separate times.
And then comes, "Haath ko aaya par muh na lage". Punjab lost three games in the very final over of the match because they lacked designated death-over specialists. For example, Marcus Stoinis failed to defend 8 runs in the final over against the Gujarat Titans. Against the Rajasthan Royals, the bowling unit let 35 runs slip away in the last three overs. As fast bowling coach James Hopes admitted, every time PBKS clawed their way back into a dominant position, they found a way to trip themselves up.
Many fans and analysts feel the team lost its focus after tasting massive early success. The franchise became heavily active on social media with banter, trolling rival teams, and outside distractions. Star players like Arshdeep faced severe criticism for dropping high-volume vlogs and online banter while his on-field performance was actively dipping. When the losses started compounding, the team looked mentally shell-shocked and completely unprepared to absorb the pressure. Ultimately, they went from golden title favourites to missing the playoffs entirely.
If examined closely, their collapse was a classic case of self-sabotage. Dropped catches, missed stumpings, and overall poor fielding killed their momentum.
Veteran India opener Virender Sehwag, who has previously played and coached for Punjab, compared PBKS’ situation to CSK and said the franchise had hit the axe on their own foot.
"PBKS have taken the axe from CSK, because in five of those seven matches, they struck themselves on the foot. They should have won atleast 2-3 of those. Some huge mistakes were made," Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.
According to the Indian Express, they dropped a staggering 16 out of 56 catching opportunities across the season. Shashank Singh became the symbol of this curse, dropping five straightforward catches, while Nehal Wadhera topped the unwanted list with seven drops. Coach Ricky Ponting, one of the finest all-round fielders of all time, likened it to a virus that spread throughout their camp. Skipper Shreyas Iyer termed it the “biggest setback of the season.”
ONE OF THE CRAZIEST KNOCK OUT STORIES IN THE IPL HISTORY FOR PUNJAB KINGS:
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 24, 2026
- Unbeaten for 7 games.
- Top of the Table for a month with 6 wins.
- Lost 6 consecutive games.
- Won the last league game.
- RR knocked them out of Playoff due to Points difference. pic.twitter.com/Ev8h915e1p
While Punjab’s explosive batting lineup dominated the first half of the season, it was the bowling unit that needed much attention. It felt like the management showed zero trust in spinners. Punjab's spin unit bowled a combined total of just 59 overs all season, the lowest of any team. This is something which is rare to see in IPL. Legend Yuzvendra Chahal was under-utilized who managed to get only 12 wickets in 14 games. Left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar, despite being the most economical bowler (7.50), was benched after just two matches.
Meanwhile, this put pressure on the pace, especially in the death overs. According to the reports, nine out of the 12 bowlers used by Punjab Kings conceded runs at an economy rate above 10. Consequently, they failed to defend 200-plus scores three separate times.
And then comes, "Haath ko aaya par muh na lage". Punjab lost three games in the very final over of the match because they lacked designated death-over specialists. For example, Marcus Stoinis failed to defend 8 runs in the final over against the Gujarat Titans. Against the Rajasthan Royals, the bowling unit let 35 runs slip away in the last three overs. As fast bowling coach James Hopes admitted, every time PBKS clawed their way back into a dominant position, they found a way to trip themselves up.
Many fans and analysts feel the team lost its focus after tasting massive early success. The franchise became heavily active on social media with banter, trolling rival teams, and outside distractions. Star players like Arshdeep faced severe criticism for dropping high-volume vlogs and online banter while his on-field performance was actively dipping. When the losses started compounding, the team looked mentally shell-shocked and completely unprepared to absorb the pressure. Ultimately, they went from golden title favourites to missing the playoffs entirely.