PBKS in free fall as they chase vital points vs Mumbai

PBKS vs MI, Wed May 14, 7:30 PM IST, HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala PBKS: 4th place, 13 points from 11 games. Lost 4 in a row after being unbeaten in first 7. Need at least 2 wins from last 3 to secure top-four finish. MI: 9th place, 6 points from 11 games. Already eliminated after 8th loss of season vs RCB. Playing for pride but can still hurt PBKS playoff hopes. Punjab Kings (PBKS) began IPL 2026 looking invincible. Six wins and a washout meant they were unbeaten in their first seven games - the best start by any team in any IPL season. But since then, they have plunged into free fall, losing four on the trot, and are dangerously close to a scenario where they finish outside the top two. Perhaps even the top four if they don't stop losing. PBKS: Yuzvendra Chahal didn’t bowl vs DC due to dew. Call on using spin at Dharamshala pending. MI: No pressure, can experiment. Quinton de Kock hit 112* vs PBKS earlier this season. Head-to-head: PBKS lead 18-17 in 35 matches. Won last clash Apr 16 at Wankhede by 7 wickets with 21 balls left. During their dream start to the season, the PBKS batting was doing the heavy lifting in their victories, but with some of their key batters experiencing dips in form, their bowling troubles and sloppy fielding have resulted in the string of defeats. PBKS hold the enviable record for the most successful 200-plus chases by any T20 team (10), but they also hold the unenviable record of having failed to defend the most 200-plus targets (9). They have also dropped the most chances this season (18). Batting friendly: Ball travels well, high altitude = more sixes. Weather alert: 60% rain chance, 20°C, possible DLS or washout. First game here this season: Teams may start cautiously. Their bowling at the death is also a concern. PBKS have conceded an economy rate of 14 in the death overs in their four successive defeats, with eight bowlers going at 10 runs an over or more. They have changed their personnel around but are yet to find a solution to their bowling problem. Bottom line: PBKS went from “only unbeaten team” to 4 straight losses. Bowling and fielding “gaping holes” must be plugged vs an MI side with nothing to lose but plenty of spoiler power. Rain could make it messier. In the previous match in Dharamsala between PBKS and DC on Monday, all 39 overs were bowled by fast bowlers. Axar Patel for DC and Yuzvendra Chahal for PBKS did not bowl at all. Though there was significant seam movement all through the game, there was also significant dew during the second innings. There was also some rain on the eve of the match.