This desperate struggle by PBKS after riding high will be recorded as one of the most shocking turnarounds of the IPL 2026 season.
Key Points
- Punjab Kings suffered six consecutive defeats in IPL 2026 after an unbeaten start, leading to speculation about non-cricket reasons.
- Some attribute PBKS' downfall to a 'curse' or 'evil eye' after their dramatic change in fortunes.
- Assistant Coach Brad Haddin admitted the team's inability to handle pressure and maintain composure in critical situations.
Defeats are tough to swallow, and when it is six consecutive defeats, it becomes even tougher.
Punjab Kings' six consecutive defeats, after reigning at the top of the table like kings for weeks, has become the talk of the tournament.
Reasons beyond cricket are being attributed to it.
After they crashed to their fifth consecutive defeat on March 14, 2026, against Mumbai Indians, some said it was owing to an earlier PBKS social media tweet.
When PBKS lost their sixth match in a row, going down to Royal Challengers Bengaluru on May 17, 2026, it was even attributed to a curse.
Why is it that reasons beyond cricket have emerged in this case? It seems strange that PBKS, who were at the top and unbeatable in the first seven matches, thereafter lost six in a row! What is it that has lead them to such a steep fall?
Now it looks like the team has developed a habit of losing matches, though, like the statutory warning on a cigarette packet, they know it is injurious to their playoff ambitions.
The Social Media 'Curse' Theory
One reason that is floating around is that all this has happened because a PBKS social media admin had posted a tweet mocking RCB's lowest-ever total of 49.
In 2017, RCB was all out for 49 against Kolkata Knight Riders. This mocking tweet was posted when PBKS were riding high and unbeaten, and when RCB were struggling at 49 for 1 in eight overs in one of the matches this season.
However, after that tweet, PBKS lost their winning momentum, and it has been seen as a blow for mocking an opponent while riding high.
Moral of the story? Mock at your own risk -- cricket has a long memory and a wicked sense of humour.
When PBKS lost the sixth match, some now say that the team has been hit by a curse, even attributing it to an evil eye.
Whether a good eye was the reason behind their glorious start and a bad eye resulted in a string of defeats, one thing is very clear: The team seems to have lost their focus on how to keep winning.
Performance Under Scrutiny
It is when you are riding high that a team comes under severe scrutiny. Every player is put under a microscope to determine the inherent skills in them.
Today, every team has an analyst who is more like a doctor. They not only study their own players but also analyse the opposition's players in detail.
The opposing team coach then prescribes how his bowlers should attack the rival batters --should it be a short ball, or a yorker, or whether the batter's leg side or off side should be targeted.
Today, the PBKS batters, who were scoring consistently, are failing. When the opening batters were unable to dominate, the middle order too could not handle the pressure.
They have now set a new record as the team with the most defeats in T20 history when defending a total above 200.
Team's Struggles and Future
All the negative traits in a team that should not surface are now beginning to show up, including poor fielding.
They look like a team in a race to earn the unwanted honour of dropping the most catches. A death bowling crisis too has emerged.
Overseas pacers Marco Jansen and Xavier Bartlett leaked runs like open taps -- 55 and 53 respectively.
PBKS Assistant Coach Brad Haddin admitted that the team has not been able to handle pressure, losing composure in critical situations.
This desperate struggle by PBKS after riding high will be recorded as one of the most shocking turnarounds of the IPL 2026 season.
PBKS' fate is now entirely at the mercy of net run rate and the results of rival franchises.
Whether it was a mocking tweet, an evil eye, or the team suddenly showing signs of inability to handle pressure, it is a lesson on how important it is for a team to maintain the impact of a good start and retain momentum till the end.
Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff
