Punjab Kings (PBKS) are no longer the table toppers in the IPL 2026 season. With a hat-trick of defeats, PBKS has slipped to one place in the points table. On May 5, they suffered their third consecutive defeat in the season. Against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), they lost the match by 33 runs, which was a big margin.
Batting first, the home team, Sunrisers Hyderabad, registered 235 runs for 4, and in the second innings, PBKS scored 202 runs in the 20-over limit. Cooper Connolly remained unbeaten for 107 runs. He kept trying until the final ball of the match, but without proper support from the rest of the batting line-up, Connolly’s effort went in vain.
PBKS captain explains why they lost to SRH
After the match, the PBKS captain, Shreyas Iyer, explained the situation and why they lost the match. At the presentation ceremony, Iyer pointed out the mistakes they made in the first innings.
Even the centurion of the match, Cooper Connolly, dropped a sitter off Ishan Kishan. Iyer believes that if they could field well, then SRH could have to sacrifice 30 to 40 runs from the total. He is not happy with the all-over bowling performance as well.
Iyer talked about the pitch as well. He claimed that as the match progressed, the pitch was getting slower, which made the situation hard for their batters to score runs. However, it was the Punjab Kings who won the toss and decided to bat in the second innings.
Shreyas Iyer blames the full team for the defeat vs the Sunrisers Hyderabad
“I think it was a bit too much (the target) because we dropped many catches at the start, and we could have easily delayed their score by 30 to 40 runs, I guess. Because the wicket kept getting slower, and the cutters were holding up a bit,” Shreyas Iyer said after the match.
“So we weren’t that comprehensive enough on the field, nor in bowling, nor in batting. So I think they played comprehensive cricket, and they showed us how to win the match. I feel we got a fairy tale start in this tournament, and everyone was in a great space, and the mindset was top-notch.”
“I think it’s important that we stick with the same mindset. It’s easy to get diverted by talking negatively about things. But definitely we have to go back, reflect on things that we didn’t do well in the last three matches, and see to it that we come back strong,” he added.
Shreyas Iyer praised Cooper Connolly
Furthermore, the PBKS captain, Shreyas Iyer, praised the effort made by Cooper Connolly. He stated that all of the players on the team should replicate the character Coonolly showed on the field tonight.
“He’s phenomenal (Connolly). His mindset is top-notch, and the character he brings to the field. It’s something that all players can learn from him. And apart from that, I feel that he’s got a knack for scoring big runs in pressure situations. He has done it in the past, and today was the right example,” Shreyas Iyer mentioned.
Read More: “Remember the name”: Fans applauds Cooper Connolly’s maiden century vs SRH in IPL 2026
