Punjab Kings made a flying start to their IPL 2026 campaign, winning six of their first seven matches, with their game against Kolkata Knight Riders washed out due to rain. The Shreyas Iyer-led side quickly established themselves at the top of the points table and emerged as one of the early favourites for the title.
However, their fortunes took a dramatic turn in the second half of the tournament. Punjab suffered six consecutive defeats, a run that ultimately cost them a place in the playoffs. Nevertheless, they did manage to end their league campaign on a high, beating Lucknow Super Giants by seven wickets in their final league match. Captain Shreyas Iyer led by example, smashing an unbeaten century. However, the victory came too late to revive their playoff hopes.
Meanwhile, during Punjab's dramatic slump, several reports emerged pointing to possible issues within the camp. Among them were claims that Prabhsimran Singh had gained significant weight, while Arshdeep Singh also found himself at the centre of a social-media controversy. A number of other reports and rumours added to the speculation that factors outside the field had contributed to Punjab's downfall.
However, star opener Priyansh Arya has dismissed the idea that the team's collapse was down to any individual. The 25-year-old instead attributed Punjab's struggles to their inability to maintain momentum, insisting that the players continued to give their best on the field and that, ultimately, only one team could come out on top.
“We didn’t suffer because of any individual. It’s a team game. Cricket is a game of momentum. In a big tournament like the IPL, momentum is key. We haven’t done anything wrong because we were doing well in both departments. After all, only one team can win at the end of the day,” Priyansh told India TV during DPL’s media day.
Priyansh shares experience of working with Ricky Ponting
Priyansh has spent two seasons with head coach Ricky Ponting now. Sharing the inputs the former Australia captain shared, the youngster noted that he gives entire freedom to the players and doesn’t restrict them to anything, which always helps.
“He gives us full freedom. He told us to express ourselves on the pitch. He tells us to work hard as well. So, it has been really good and there are no restrictions as well. He has allowed us to do whatever we want to do,” Priyansh said.
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