Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer revealed where his side lost the game after Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated them by 23 runs at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala, significantly denting their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 playoff hopes.
Chasing a massive target of 223, PBKS fought hard in patches but eventually fell short as RCB’s bowling attack held its nerve in the crucial moments and restricted them to just 199 runs at the cost of eight wickets.
Also Read: IPL 2026: RCB condemn PBKS to 6th straight loss to storm into playoffs with 23-run win
Shreyas Iyer explains where PBKS lost the game
Reflecting on the defeat after the match, Iyer admitted that Punjab lost control during the powerplay itself, both with the ball and later while batting under pressure.
"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," Iyer said.
The PBKS skipper also highlighted how the early wickets during the chase completely shifted momentum in RCB’s favour.
"Absolutely. 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. I think we were up there with almost 10 an over, but yeah, fell short. Tremendous bowling by Bhuvi and Hazlewood," he added.
Despite the crushing defeat, Iyer maintained a positive outlook ahead of Punjab’s final league game.
"No, definitely. I’m always positive irrespective of the results. It doesn’t dictate how my personality is and I always approach with a strong attitude. I’m not someone who dwells too much in the past. 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 stated.
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PBKS playoff hopes hanging by a thread
The defeat marked PBKS’ sixth consecutive loss after they had begun IPL 2026 with six straight victories earlier in the season.
Punjab currently sit fourth on the points table with 13 points and only one league match remaining against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Even if PBKS win that game, they can only reach a maximum of 15 points.
With RCB already securing playoff qualification, only three playoff spots now remain available. As a result, Punjab Kings are no longer fully in control of their own fate and will need favourable outcomes from other matches to stay alive in the playoff race.