Punjab Kings (PBKS) assistant coach Brad Haddin gave the team a strong reality check after their recent collapse in the IPL 2026 season. Haddin urged captain Shreyas Iyer and the players to ignore the social media noise and focus solely on winning their remaining matches to qualify for the playoffs in the tournament.
punjab kings lost Mumbai Indians (mi) At Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamshala On Thursday, May 14. They suffered their fifth consecutive defeat in the current season. The franchise had previously been unbeaten in its first seven matches, registering six wins and one draw before a string of poor results.
key points
- Punjab Kings assistant coach Brad Haddin gave a stern warning to the team after their fifth consecutive defeat.
- Haddin urged Shreyas Iyer and the team to ignore social media criticism during IPL 2026.
- Punjab Kings now need to win their remaining matches to stay in the race for the playoffs.
We are very disappointed – Punjab Kings coach Brad Haddin
Speaking after the match, Brad Haddin admitted that the team was extremely disappointed with their current position in the tournament. Haddin said there was no room for mistakes and they would have to win the remaining matches to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Haddin said, “We still have two matches to play. And one thing is that destiny is still in our hands. We have to find a way. And now, there is no tomorrow. There is no need to talk about anything else. We have to win our remaining matches now. And it is as simple as that.”
He said, “Like you guys, we are disappointed with the way we started the tournament and where we are now. We now have to find a way to play our best cricket in the next few matches to have a chance to play in the final.”
punjab kings Now under immense pressure in the race for playoffs. The Shreyas Iyer-led side looked set to finish in the top two at the start of the season but now need to win both the remaining league matches to keep their qualification hopes alive.
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We didn’t play our best cricket when we needed to – Brad Haddin
The former Australia batsman said that Punjab Kings have struggled to handle pressure during crucial moments in recent matches. Haddin said that dealing with pressure is an important part of IPL cricket. player Staying involved in the game rather than focusing too much on the result.
“I think the whole tournament, the whole time there is pressure. And especially at this stage where we are in the tournament, that’s what IPL cricket is all about. You have to be able to handle the big moments, you have to be able to handle the pressure. We haven’t been able to handle the pressure in the last few defeats,” Haddin said.
“We didn’t play our best cricket when we needed to, which is disappointing. You don’t have to think about the result. You have to make sure you find a way to involve yourself in the game,” the former Australia batsman said.
The next match will be against Punjab Kings Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) is trying to end its losing streak on Sunday. In the race for the playoffs, it has become necessary for the team led by Shreyas Iyer to win this match.
Whatever the outside noise, it’s part of playing a professional sport – Brad Haddin
Brad Haddin said that despite the team’s recent defeat, the atmosphere inside the Punjab Kings dressing room remains positive. He also downplayed the growing criticism on social media and reminded players to focus on their performance rather than on outside noise.
“The dressing room has been good. I’m not involved with social media, so I don’t know exactly what the situation is there. But from inside the camp, we have to find a way to win cricket games. Whatever the outside noise is, it’s part of playing a professional game. It’s not always just about the field. You have to deal with everything outside it and make sure that when you get to that boundary, you are in the right place to play,” Haddin insisted.
Punjab Kings was one of the best teams in tournaments during the first half of the season. However, their sudden collapse has pushed the franchise into a tough playoff position, forcing the management to demand quick changes in the final matches.
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