Updated IPL 2026 Points Table after PBKS vs MI: Punjab Kings' playoff hopes in tatters after fifth straight loss

Mumbai Indians (MI) dealt Punjab Kings (PBKS) a fresh blow in the latter's hopes of qualifying for the IPL 2026 playoffs, as the five-time champions scripted a thrilling six-wicket win in Dharamsala on Thursday. This is Punjab Kings' fifth straight loss, thus leaving their playoff hopes hanging by a thread.

Mumbai Indians were already eliminated following a two-wicket loss to defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Raipur last week.

Mumbai Indians remained in ninth place in the IPL 2026 standings with eight points from 12 points. Punjab Kings, on the other hand, remain in fourth place with 13 points from 12 matches.

Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals are right behind Punjab Kings in fifth and sixth place respectively with 12 points each.

Mumbai Indians were without their regular skipper Hardik Pandya and stand-in skipper Suryakumar Yadav. Veteran pacer Jasprit Bumrah led the team for the first-ever time since joining the franchise in 2013.

Jasprit Bumrah won the toss and declared that Mumbai Indians would field first. Openers Priyansh Arya (22) and Prabhsimran Singh (57) got off to a brisk start as the two of them forged a half-century stand in just 32 deliveries.

However, just before the powerplay ended, Deepak Chahar cleaned up Priyansh Arya for 22, and Punjab Kings finished the powerplay with a total of 55/1.

Prabhsimran continued to play aggressively, and got to his half-century off just 29 deliveries, hitting six fours and three sixes.

Prabhsimran even punished Raghu Sharma for consecutive sixes in the 10th over as the wicketkeeper-batter got to his 40s in style.

There seemed to be no way to stopping Prabhsimran's onslaught as he slammed another maximum over cover off Corbin Bosch's ball in the 11th over. Just a couple of deliveries later, Prabhsimran got to his half-century with a single towards deep square leg.

In the 12th over, he punished Shardul Thakur for a maximum, but in the very next ball, Prabhsimran was caught by Corbin Bosch after looking to go over the long-on fence.

Punjab Kings were 107/2 in the 12th over, and this is where Mumbai Indians' comeback began. Skipper Shreyas Iyer was dismissed for just four runs by Shardul Thakur, who was the standout bowler for MI with figures of 4/39.

Shardul would then go onto dismiss Suryansh Shedge (8) and Marco Jansen (2) in the 14th and 17th overs respectively.

And by the time Azmatullah Omarzai was dismissed, Punjab Kings were in a spot of bother at 166/8 in the 18th over. However, not all hopes were lost as Vishnu Vinod (15*) and Xavier Bartlett (18*) forged an unbeaten 34-run stand to take Punjab Kings to 200/8.

Rickelton was the most aggressive batter among the two of them as he raced his way to the 40s with regular boundaries. The South African looked set for a big knock, but it was not meant to be, as he was caught by Priyansh Arya at deep backward square. Rickelton had got down on one knee and was looking to go big over deep square leg, but he just couldn't get the elevation he wanted.

Rohit Sharma and Naman Dhir, the No.3 batter, then forged a 20-run stand. But Naman was dismissed by Marco Jansen in the ninth over, and MI lost Rohit Sharma too in less than an over after that as Yuzvendra Chahal struck.

However, the loss of these quick wickets did not hinder Mumbai Indians as Tilak Varma stepped up. Tilak began his innings with a boundary off Marco Jansen's delivery, and punished Bartlett for a couple of more boundaries in the 11th over.

He never looked like slowing down, as he slammed Azmatullah Omarzai for a six in the 13th over by slamming it behind square. In the 16th over, Tilak slammed Chahal for a six and later a four, before racing to his fifty off 25 balls in the 17th over, courtesy a six against Marco Jansen.

The match was evenly poised at the end of the 18th over, with Mumbai Indians needing 28 runs from 12 balls with Will Jacks at the other end. Jacks, too, joined the party with a few regular boundaries, and the equation was down to 15 runs from six balls.

Bartlett bowled the final over of the match, but towards the end, the outcome was quite predictable, as Tilak sealed the deal with two consecutive sixes to take MI home with a ball to spare.