With one washout against Kolkata Knight Riders, Punjab Kings won six of their first seven games to take the lead in the IPL 2026 league phase. But the team saw a sharp turnabout, dropping six straight games that ultimately prevented them from making the playoffs.
Shreyas Iyer scored an undefeated century as the squad bounced back from the collapse to defeat Lucknow Super Giants by seven wickets in their final league game. After Punjab Kings’ IPL 2026 collapse, Priyansh Arya defended the team, saying no one was to blame for the six-match losing streak. He commended Ricky Ponting for allowing players to express themselves freely and attributed their difficulties to team momentum.
In the meantime, several reports surfaced amid Punjab’s sharp decline, suggesting potential problems within the camp. Claims that Prabhsimran Singh had put on a lot of weight were among them, and Arshdeep Singh was also the subject of a social media debate. The idea that elements outside of the field had played a role in Punjab’s demise was bolstered by a number of further stories and rumours.
Claims that had surfaced throughout Punjab’s losing run, with some sources attributing the collapse to particular players, were addressed in Arya’s statement. The 24-year-old hitter underlined that the team had done well in both batting and bowling throughout the tournament’s early phases, implying that the squad’s later defeats were more a reflection of T20 cricket’s unpredictability than of a structural breakdown.
India TV quotes Arya saying, “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.”
He further added, “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
