Shreyas Iyer openly admits that Punjab King is “short on planning”, after losing four matches in a row since IPL 2026 began, unbeaten in their first seven games.
The incredible downfall of the Punjab Kings in the latter part of the IPL 2026 was evident again as Delhi Capitals recorded an all-time chase in Dharamsala on Monday night to make it four straight defeats for PBKS.
PBKS early domination in IPL 2026, seems to be concerned about their bowling, fielding, and game management now.
Although Punjab Kings managed to set a challenging target for their opponents with a score of 210/5, they could not defend the same as Delhi Capitals recorded the first 200-run chase at that venue. The loss seemed disappointing for Punjab Kings’ captain Shreyas Iyer.
DC Pull Off Record Chase
Punjab looked to be in charge when posting what Iyer had himself termed as a “par-plus” score. However, Delhi’s hopes were kept alive courtesy of Axar Patel and David Miller’s half-century knocks amidst tight pressure.
Mahadev Tiwari, the youngster, kept the Delhi Capitals hope alive with an unbeaten 18 runs off just eight balls, with an incredible three run win.
This game was yet another nail-biting episode for Punjab in the tournament, especially since their fortunes have turned around in the last few games.
Iyer Blames Bowling, Fielding
PBKS capital – Iyer did not twist words while analysing their latest defeat and blamed the weak bowling and fielding areas have repeatedly hurt leading to losses in back to back four matches.
“I won’t beat around the bush; I’ll just say fielding and bowling again,” Iyer said after the match.
Punjab’s fielding struggles once again proved costly in a high-pressure contest. Arshdeep Singh dropped two catches during Delhi’s innings, including a chance off Axar Patel, who went on to play a match-defining knock.
The bowling numbers also paint a worrying picture for Punjab this season. PBKS have conceded runs at 10.41 per over in IPL 2026, a figure better only than Mumbai Indians’ 10.44 among all teams. Mumbai were eliminated from the tournament on Sunday.
‘We’ve Been Short on Planning’
The PBKS captain also pointed out the poor bowling execution and lack of tactical clarity during the important phases of the win.
“Still on the surface. I always say that the hard length – short of a hard length — is the best ball, especially when a new batter comes in. It’s not easy to hit because if you keep repeating those deliveries, at least one ball gives a chance of a mis-hit and you can get a wicket. We’ve been short on planning,” he said.
Punjab Kings spent a major part of the season sitting comfortably at the top of the points table after going unbeaten in their opening seven games. But with four straight defeats now exposing flaws in both execution and temperament, the pressure is beginning to mount on Iyer’s side at a crucial stage of the tournament.
