'We fell short..': Iyer reflects on PBKS's defeat versus RR
What's the story
Punjab Kings (PBKS) faced their first defeat of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, losing to Rajasthan Royals (RR) by six wickets. The match took place in Mullanpur on Tuesday. After PBKS posted a formidable total of 222 runs, captain Shreyas Iyer blamed his bowlers for not capitalizing on the conditions and allowing RR to take control during the chase.
Match analysis
RR's Ferreira-Dubey partnership
Iyer acknowledged the match-defining 77-run partnership between RR's Donovan Ferreira (52* off 26) and Shubham Dubey (31* off 12). He revealed that the plan was to rely more on slower deliveries and yorkers, but they fell short in execution. "We had planned to go slow and bowl yorkers," he said. "I think we fell short there." Despite their efforts, PBKS couldn't stop RR from chasing down the target with four balls to spare.
Bowling performance
Chahal, Brar tried their best
During the middle overs, PBKS's off-spin duo of Harpreet Brar and veteran Yuzvendra Chahal tried to apply pressure on the RR batters. Chahal played a key role in briefly swinging momentum in PBKS's favor by dismantling the middle order with figures of 3/36 in his four overs. However, despite their efforts, RR managed to chase down the target successfully.
Learning experience
First loss for PBKS in IPL 2026
Reflecting on the defeat, Iyer said, "This is our first loss of the season, and it definitely teaches you a lot." He admitted that they could have done things differently but emphasized staying positive moving forward. The defeat ended PBKS's unbeaten streak in IPL 2026 after seven matches, which also included a no-result against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Upcoming match
Upcoming fixtures for PBKS and RR
PBKS will next take on Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium on May 3. Meanwhile, RR will return home to host Delhi Capitals in Jaipur on May 1. Iyer stressed the need to refresh and come back strong after this defeat, highlighting Brar's performance as a major positive for PBKS.