Out of nowhere, Punjab Kings have seen their season become suddenly complicated. After an unbeaten first half of the campaign which saw them rack up 13 points with six wins, they remain on that mark even five games later, with a massive five-game losing slide.
When a losing streak of this size comes around, it becomes a matter of concern for all concerned. Especially so for members of a team who can’t have a role to play on the field and must do their work behind the scenes. While Shreyas Iyer has been the on-field captain and the face of the action as PBKS lost their fifth game in a row against Mumbai Indians in Dharamshala, the post-match scenes saw coach Ricky Ponting in a tense conversation with owner Preity Zinta, both with grave faces.
Broadcast cameras captured Zinta having a chat with Ponting, who was wearing a solemn look on his face and even turned down to look at his shoes. While the content or even the tone of the conversation would require pure conjecture and speculation, it isn’t difficult to imagine what the topic of conversation would have been – what’s going wrong, and what is the plan to fix it?
PBKS’ weaknesses made evident
Zinta has shared a phenomenal relationship with this current batch of Punjab Kings players and staff, as Ponting and Iyer led them to the franchise’s second final in 2025. While the energy and environment surrounding the PBKS team has been largely upbeat and very positive over the last two seasons, this losing streak has certainly brought tensions rising to the top.
The IPL has seen hands-on owners getting involved with the playing personnel and staff in the past – memorably LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka dressing down KL Rahul in the past – and Zinta herself is known to be a regular interactor on-field with PBKS members over the years, it has rarely ever been with this shadow hanging over it.
In Dharamshala, PBKS have lost both of their matches thus far, despite putting up 210 against Delhi Capitals and 200 against Mumbai Indians. PBKS were in strong positions with the ball against both teams, with early wickets against DC and run-rate control against MI. However, powerful finishing acts first from David Miller and Ashutosh Sharma, then Tilak Varma and Will Jacks on Thursday night, has made their home-stand in the Himalayas an unsuccessful one thus far.
