New Delhi, May 15 (IANS) Punjab Kings’ IPL 2026 campaign continues to spiral after another painful defeat, with former India spinner Piyush Chawla identifying the team’s bowling struggles as the biggest factor behind their slide in the points table. Following PBKS’ six-wicket loss to Mumbai Indians in Dharamshala, Chawla said the franchise now finds itself under enormous pressure heading into the final phase of the league stage.

Punjab, who once looked firmly on course for the playoffs after a strong start to the season, have now suffered five consecutive defeats. Their inability to defend 200 against the Mumbai Indians has further complicated their qualification hopes, leaving them in a must-win situation in the remaining matches.

Reflecting on the team’s struggles, Chawla pointed to the underperformance of PBKS’ overseas pace attack as a major concern.

“Punjab Kings are now under tremendous pressure because they’ve reached a stage where they must win their remaining games to stay alive in the tournament. Considering the kind of start they had to the season, very few would have expected them to be in this position. The bowling has become a major concern, especially with their overseas fast bowlers struggling for form and consistency,” Chawla told JioStar.

He specifically mentioned Marco Jansen and Xavier Bartlett, both of whom endured difficult outings against MI during the chase.

“Marco Jansen hasn’t looked at his best, while Xavier Bartlett has found it difficult once the new-ball spell is over. When your premier overseas pacers concede heavily across their combined spells, it becomes extremely difficult to control a 200-plus chase,” he said.

Mumbai Indians successfully chased down the 201-run target with one ball remaining, powered by Tilak Varma’s unbeaten 75 off 33 deliveries. Will Jacks also played a key finishing role with a rapid 25 off just 10 balls, helping MI seal victory in a tense encounter.

Chawla praised the composure shown by Tilak and Jacks during the pressure chase, emphasising the importance of sticking to fundamentals in high-pressure moments, as he said, “In pressure situations, going back to your basics becomes extremely important because those are the habits you’ve built over years of playing cricket. Tilak Varma and Will Jacks did that really well, they focused on holding their shape and trusting their technique rather than trying to overhit.”

He also highlighted how the batting pair adapted smartly to the conditions in Dharamshala, where the altitude often assists stroke-makers.

“In conditions like Dharamshala, where the ball travels quickly because of the altitude, timing the ball properly is often enough to clear the boundary. Their communication in the middle was also crucial. They understood that as long as they maintained their shape against those variations, the pace on the ball would help them score freely. That clarity and composure made a big difference in the chase,” he stated.

Punjab Kings had earlier posted 200/8, thanks to a fluent half-century from Prabhsimran Singh and a late counterattack by Azmatullah Omarzai. However, the bowlers failed to defend the total as Mumbai’s middle order took control during the latter stages of the chase.

With the playoff race tightening, PBKS now face the challenge of quickly regrouping and rediscovering the consistency that marked the early part of their campaign.

–IANS

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