Punjab Kings defeated Lucknow Super Kings by seven wickets in their IPL 2026 fixture on Saturday to keep their playoff hopes alive. The result saw PBKS climb to fourth position with 15 points in 14 matches, ahead of Rajasthan Royals, who are fifth now with 14 points in 13 games. Meanwhile, Kolkata Knight Riders are sixth with 13 points in 13 fixtures.
PBKS, RR and KKR are in contention for the final playoff spot. Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad have already qualified for the playoffs.
Following PBKS' victory over LSG, KKR's qualification route has become harder. KKR have a net run rate of 0.083, compared to PBKS' 0.309. To qualify for the playoffs, KKR need to defeat DC by a huge margin so they can increase their NRR and overtake PBKS in the standings. For RR, a win will see them finish with 16 points, sealing the final playoff spot. But if they lose, the fight for the playoff berth will go down to the wire as KKR face DC in the final league game on Sunday. Meanwhile, RR's match vs MI is also on Sunday.
For PBKS, it has been a downward spiral this season. They began the season on a strong note and at one point looked unbeatable, occupying the top spot. But they ran out of gas and were in a six-match losing streak towards the end. The streak didn't reach seven games, as they beat LSG in their final league game.
{{/usCountry}}For PBKS, it has been a downward spiral this season. They began the season on a strong note and at one point looked unbeatable, occupying the top spot. But they ran out of gas and were in a six-match losing streak towards the end. The streak didn't reach seven games, as they beat LSG in their final league game.
{{/usCountry}}Speaking after the match, PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting said, "We've done it the hard way, let's put it that way. We've done what we needed to do today. Sloppy in the field again, gave them 20 more runs than what they should've got. Pretty clinical chase, especially being in trouble early. The captain, he's done that all season. When there's been a run chase on like that, he's pretty much everytime put his hand up and got the job done. That's his first IPL century tonight. We'll celebrate that and then we'll sit around and wait for those results tomorrow. There's a reason I spent as much money at the auction as I did a couple of years ago."
For PBKS, it was also a huge relief as they ended their losing streak. Chasing 197 runs, they reached 200/3 in 18 overs, courtesy of skipper Shreyas Iyer's unbeaten 51-ball 101*. He also slammed 11 fours and five sixes, striking at 198.04. Meanwhile, Prabhsimran Singh also got a half-century, smacking 69 off 39 balls. For LSG, Mohammed Shami struck thrice. Initially, LSG posted 196/6 in 20 overs. Josh Inglis was in good batting form, hammering 72 off 44 balls. For PBKS, Yuzvendra Chahal and Marco Jansen took two-wicket hauls.