- Punjab Kings lost sixth straight IPL 2026 match to RCB.
- RCB posted 222/4 with Venkatesh Iyer, Kohli fifties.
- Shreyas Iyer cited powerplay as match-losing period.
Punjab Kings suffered a major loss in their IPL 2026 playoffs race after registering their sixth straight defeat on Sunday. The Shreyas Iyer-led side looked completely out of touch against Royal Challengers Bengaluru and eventually went down by 23 runs in Dharamshala. RCB came out firing with the bat after being put in first. After the loss, the disappointment was clearly visible in the Punjab camp. PBKS head coach, Ricky Ponting, looked visibly upset in the dugout, while skipper Shreyas Iyer was spotted having a seemingly serious chat with co-owner Preity Zinta on the field. Check it out:
pic.twitter.com/2ATkKfw215
Seeing Preity Zinta man and Shreyas this sad really hurts 🥺😭💔
— Shreyass Eraa (@IyerShreyass) May 17, 2026
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‘The Match Was Lost In The Powerplay’: Shreyas Iyer
Speaking after the game, Shreyas admitted that Punjab lost the match during the power play itself. He pointed out how RCB capitalised after a strong start and how PBKS failed to strike with the ball at crucial moments.
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“Obviously, they got off to a great start and then started taking on the bowlers right after the powerplay. I think getting to 222 was a commendable performance and we weren’t able to take wickets in the bowling that much, but yeah, I think the match was lost in the powerplay,” Shreyas said after the match.
Venkatesh Iyer played a stunning unbeaten knock of 73, while Virat Kohli’s fiery half-century powered Bengaluru to a strong total of 222/4 in 20 overs.
In reply, Punjab Kings never really looked in control of the chase. Despite some late resistance, PBKS could only manage 199/8. Rasikh Salam Dar starred with the ball for RCB, picking up three wickets, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar added two to keep Punjab under pressure.
Early Wickets Hurt PBKS Chase
The Punjab captain also reflected on the early collapse in the chase, especially after consistent, strong starts from Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya throughout the season.
“We were three down and the majority of our run scorers were Prabhsimran and Priyansh. The starts they used to give us in the powerplay, obviously we couldn’t get this time and also me coming in and getting out early. Really disappointed, but commendable performance by Shashank and Stoinis and also a few others in the middle,” he said.
Even though Punjab lost the match, Shashank Singh and Marcus Stoinis tried to keep the fight alive. Shashank smashed a quickfire 56 off just 27 balls, while Stoinis added 37 from 25 deliveries, but their efforts were not enough as PBKS fell short.
Shreyas Iyer’s Positive Mindset
Despite the crushing defeat and Punjab’s playoff hopes hanging by a thread, Shreyas remained hopeful ahead of their next clash against Lucknow Super Giants.
“I’m always positive irrespective of the results. This is over, this is gone. Tomorrow again I’m going to see the sunrise and there’s always light at the end of the tunnel,” he added.
