Punjab Kings (PBKS) have had a dream start to their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 campaign, winning six of their first seven matches. However, things suddenly turned sour for them as they have lost six consecutive matches and are fighting tooth and nail to make the playoffs.
On Saturday, May 23, PBKS will take on Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their last league game at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium. They are currently at number 5 in the standings with 13 points from as many matches.
Shreyas Iyer & Co. will have to win the match by a big margin to keep their playoff hopes alive. However, if Rajasthan Royals win their last game they could still be out. Even if Royals lose, Kolkata Knight Riders can spoil Punjab's party by winning their last match by a big margin.
PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting said his team failed to get the little things right but they can turn things around by playing their A-game on Saturday.
“We were exceptional in our first seven or six games,” Ponting said, “then our match against Kolkata Knight Riders got rained off, and I think from that moment on we just fell behind a little bit and as I said, those are the little things.” They are one or two balls or they are an over here and there, which makes it quite conceivable that we could have won three or four more games, but for that we only have ourselves to blame. We are in a situation that does not result in us. “We've been playing our best over the last few weeks, but we also have a good idea of what our best cricket looks like and what that is and what we need to do to win tomorrow and that's what we can focus on,” Ponting was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
Lucknow Super Giants were eliminated earlier in the tournament, and Ponting understands that his players do not have much to lose, which will allow them to play fearless cricket. However, the former Australian captain wants his team to fight fire with fire and not let negativity get in the way.
“I mean they, Lucknow, are leaving tomorrow. Apart from maybe personal pride and glory for the franchise's performance, they really have nothing else to lose, so teams can be dangerous that way. But we understand it, we know it, and that's the way I want my boys to play as well. I want us to be fearless and I want us to be courageous, I want us to take the game forward and not worry about that. What can happen, negative things that can happen in the game,” Ponting said. Opinion
“It's really important that we focus on the positive things and what you can do as an individual player to make an impact on the game,” he said.
The atmosphere is very positive and very relaxed: Ricky Ponting
Ponting stressed that the mood in the PBKS camp is very positive and comfortable. He wants everyone to keep believing in the things that worked for the team in the first campaign.
Ponting said, “The atmosphere remains very positive and very comfortable. I think the worst thing you can do in a situation like this is panic and worry about what happens tomorrow. You just have to stick to what you know has worked for you as a player and certainly as a coach and a group of coaches, that's exactly what we've done. We've tried our best to make sure the atmosphere remains very positive and very comfortable and the players are ready for the game.” Let yourself be prepared for it.”
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