Punjab Kings’ IPL 2026 campaign will be remembered as one of the most dramatic stories of the season. After emerging as one of the strongest teams in the first half of the tournament, PBKS suffered a stunning collapse that ultimately cost them a place in the playoffs. Now, opener Prabhsimran Singh has reflected on the franchise’s disappointing finish and addressed one of the most debated moments of their season.

Led by Shreyas Iyer, the Punjab Kings made a flying start to IPL 2026. The team won six matches early in the campaign and quickly established itself as a serious contender for a top-two finish. Their aggressive brand of cricket, combined with consistent performances across departments, even sparked discussions about Iyer’s credentials for future leadership roles in Indian cricket.

However, the momentum that had carried PBKS to the top half of the table suddenly disappeared. The franchise endured a disastrous run of six consecutive defeats, turning a promising campaign into one of the season’s biggest collapses.

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One match that continues to generate discussion among fans is the Punjab Kings’ rain-affected clash against the Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on April 12. Before rain interrupted play, KKR were struggling at 25 for 2 in just 3.4 overs. Fast bowler Xavier Bartlett had already removed Finn Allen and Cameron Green, putting Punjab firmly in control of the contest.

The match was eventually abandoned due to weather conditions, forcing both teams to share points. Many observers later argued that those dropped points proved costly in Punjab’s playoff race. Speaking to InsideSport, Prabhsimran admitted that the washed-out encounter still crosses his mind, but he was clear that it should not be used as an excuse for the team’s failure to qualify.

“The only little thing that comes to mind about that match is the way our team was playing at that time; we were just winning every match. So, if the full match had happened, we would have won that one as well,” Prabhsimran Singh said. “In the end, some might think that it is an excuse, but far from it. Had we won any two matches after that, we would have qualified, and that too in the top two. It would be incorrect to believe that we were ousted because of that one match.”

The Punjab Kings batter also revealed that the team’s ambitions extended far beyond merely reaching the playoffs. According to Prabhsimran, both the players and management were targeting a top-two finish to secure the advantage of an extra opportunity to reach the IPL final.

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“The entire team and the management were targeting the top spot in the points table, but unfortunately for us, things did not go as planned,” he added. Meanwhile, Prabhsimran is currently representing India A in the ongoing one-day tri-series involving Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A, as he continues to push his case for higher honours.