IPL 2026: Rajasthan Royals expose Punjab Kings' bowling frailties in Mullanpur run-fest

Punjab Kings (PBKS) were handed their first loss of the Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026) by Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Match 40 on Tuesday, April 28 at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, New Chandigarh.

It was for the second successive time that the Shreyas Iyer-led side conceded a total in excess of 220 after already being hammered for 264 against Delhi Capitals (DC) in the previous fixture.

The persistent leaking of runs by their bowling unit has exposed an area of concern for last year’s runners-up as they move ahead into the season. While Punjab is constantly rewriting record books with their incredible chasing prowess, the brilliance of the batting lineup has often masked the vulnerabilities of their bowling attack.

PBKS have four batters in the top 15 among the leading run scorers this season, but no bowler from the team appears in a similar list for wicket takers.

Big names, little impact with the ball

The only name in the top 20 is of Arshdeep Singh, who has taken eight wickets. However, the left-arm seamer is also having an indifferent season this year, averaging 41.12 with the ball and has leaked runs at an economy of 10.96.

Apart from him, the spin-spearhead, Yuzvendra Chahal, also hasn’t been able to leave his mark with seven wickets from as many innings at an average of 34.42. Chahal finally had his first notable performance of the season against Rajasthan Royals, registering figures of 3/36 in four overs. 

After a few impressive performances early on in the season, Vijaykumar Vyshak has also looked out of colour in the last few fixtures, unable to withstand batters’ aggressive approach.

To add to their woes, foreign recruits Xavier Bartlett and Lockie Ferguson have also been taken to the cleaners. All in all, Punjab’s bowling gives a worrying sign for the Shreyas Iyer-led side as the opposition are likely to invite them to bat first going forward on most occasions to counter their chasing prowess. 

200-plus scores becoming routine

PBKS have conceded 200-plus totals five times this season, the joint-most alongside Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). While they’ve won four out of those games, which is a reflection of their impressive chasing record, those victories shouldn’t obscure the glaring shortcomings of their bowling unit.

Moreover, Punjab has a deplorable record while bowling during powerplay this season, averaging 55.11 and having a strike rate of 30.4, both the third-worst among all ten teams.

How long can the batters rescue?

It’s said that the batters win you matches, but the bowlers win you tournaments. As of now, Punjab’s bowling attack seems to be lacking the vigour of a champion side and is being pushed to the corner time and again by the opposing teams.

When bowlers fail to control the powerplay or stem the flow in the death overs, even the strongest batting lineup can eventually be left with too much to do. If PBKS are to end their 19-year-long trophy drought, they need their bowlers to step up big time, or else the dream of a podium finish might soon turn into ashes all over again.