Punjab Kings looked unstoppable during the opening phase of IPL 2026. Under Shreyas Iyer’s leadership, the franchise stormed through the first half of the season without losing a game, collecting 13 points from their opening seven matches and establishing themselves as early title favourites. However, their campaign unravelled just as quickly as it had gathered momentum. Punjab suffered six consecutive defeats during the second half of the league stage and, despite ending the season with a victory, failed to recover sufficiently to secure a playoff berth. It was a stunning reversal for a team coached by Ricky Ponting and one that had appeared destined for a top-four finish. While Royal Challengers Bengaluru eventually lifted the trophy for a second successive season under Rajat Patidar, Gujarat Titans once again demonstrated their consistency by finishing runners-up. Rajasthan Royals reached Qualifier 2 on the back of another outstanding season from teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, while Sunrisers Hyderabad completed the playoff line-up after producing several strong performances throughout the campaign. Reflecting on the season, Sachin Tendulkar offered his assessment of Punjab’s dramatic decline and highlighted how a shift in mindset may have contributed to their downfall. “Punjab Kings brought wonderful energy to the tournament. Their cricket was positive, brave and often game-changing. Momentum plays a crucial role in lengthy tournaments. Eventually, in such a fast-moving tournament, it boils down to process and not getting attached to results. Punjab focused more on process in the first half and more on results in the second,” he wrote in a Reddit post. Tendulkar also reserved special praise for Gujarat Titans, who once again proved to be one of the most reliable teams in the competition. Despite falling short in the final, GT maintained the consistency that has become a hallmark of the franchise since its debut season in 2022. “What stands out about the Gujarat Titans is their ability to operate within a remarkably consistent performance band across an entire season. The IPL is inherently volatile, but GT rarely stray too far from their method, even when results fluctuate. They minimize both peaks and troughs, staying close to their brand of cricket more consistently than most teams. Over a long tournament, that ability to control uncertainty often proves more valuable than occasional bursts of brilliance or isolated match-winning performances,” he wrote. The batting great also reflected on how quickly fortunes can change during a long IPL season, pointing out that early standings often provide little indication of where teams will eventually finish. “Looking back at IPL 2026, I was reminded that tournaments are rarely defined by how they begin. More than once this season, the table told a very different story at the halfway mark than it did at the end. Teams adjusted, players improved, and new solutions emerged as the competition progressed. The game demands constant evolution, and that is part of what makes it so fascinating to watch.” Punjab Kings’ campaign ultimately became one of the biggest talking points of IPL 2026. From setting the pace during the first half of the tournament to missing out on the playoffs altogether, their season served as a reminder of how quickly momentum can shift in the IPL.
