Shreyas Iyer, leading the Punjab Kings, said the early spark of their 2026 IPL run seems to be fading now - three losses back-to-back have dulled what once looked strong. After starting with six wins in seven games, they stumbled again, falling short by 33 runs when facing Sunrisers Hyderabad midweek. The stumble comes at a tense time, just before the stretch that will shape their fate in the competition, in the latest cricket news.
Looking back at how the team has played lately, Iyer pointed out that Punjab can’t lean on the momentum they built earlier in the season.
Moving ahead won’t work unless things change, he noted, if performances stay where they are. Despite the past highs, staying stuck like this brings little hope. Progress needs better results, not old wins.
“That Form Won’t Help Us”: Shreyas Iyer sounds a warning as Punjab Kings' slump continues
"I feel we got a fairytale start in the tournament, and everyone was in a great space. If we are going to continue with the same form, that's not going to help us," Iyer said at the post-match presentation.
Fumbles in the outfield haunted PBKS, as spilt chances and botched stumpings let Hyderabad pile on runs. Those lapses shifted things, Iyer said later.
That target felt tough, he said, mainly since his team missed chances early on. Fielding errors probably lost them something like 30 or maybe even 40 runs, in his view. As things moved along, the surface began to slow down. Hyderabad stuck to what they wanted to do, handling it more cleanly.
A bright spot for PBKS emerged through young batter Cooper Connolly, delivering another strong performance with a hundred left standing at the end. His calm under tension caught Iyer’s attention, the Indian skipper noting how the Aussie handled crunch moments without blinking.
"Connolly is phenomenal. 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 of scoring big runs in pressure situations." Iyer said
Top spot now belongs to Sunrisers Hyderabad after their latest win, with captain Pat Cummins pleased that every part of the game clicked.
Also Read: SRH hammer PBKS to go top as dropped catches prove costly despite Cooper Connolly’s century
"Punjab are a really good side. I thought the batters to get off to what we did was sensational. No matter what the score is, bowling second against that side was clinical," Cummins said.
"We're pretty good at playing it at our pace. It's just trying to max out. It gripped a little bit, which suits our bowlers. We've seen it before; we can adjust."
Off to a rocket were the batsmen, he noted, power right from the first overs shaping what came next. Holding that lead meant precision mattered most when Punjab came out swinging, bowlers needing sharp control under pressure.
Hyderabad moves slowly when they need to, staying calm while shaping play around what the field demands. Noticing how the pitch held extra bite for those delivering the ball, he saw his team make smart use of it.
Back from a spell on the sidelines due to a sore back, Cummins took 2 for 34, removing both Iyer and opener Priyansh Arya. Freshness, that’s how he described his state after stepping back onto the field.
Early overs have troubled most sides this year, yet somehow SRH manage to stay steady. Their strength lies in mixing things up - something that seems to lift their belief each time they bowl first.
