It was April 19, and PBKS was the team to beat, going unbeaten in its first six games with five dominant wins. Cut to the present, and the Shreyas Iyer-led side has suffered six consecutive losses. It now faces a must-win situation against LSG at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Punjab\u2019s season has been a tale of two drastically contrasting departments. Its batting has been nothing short of terrifying. With over 2,400 team runs and a tournament-leading 156 sixes, PBKS possesses the sheer firepower to overwhelm any opposition.<\/p>\n
At the top, the explosive Priyansh Arya strikes at an absurd strike rate of 212.86, while Prabhsimran Singh ensures the attack remains relentless through the PowerPlay. Meanwhile, the breakout brilliance of Cooper Connolly (473 runs) anchors the middle order, with captain Shreyas Iyer providing crucial stability.<\/p>\n
Punjab\u2019s glaring Achilles\u2019 heel remains a regular bowling attack that has been violently exposed. Its pace battery is bleeding. Premier pacer Arshdeep Singh, despite taking 14 wickets, is conceding at an economy of 9.78.<\/p>\n
However, PBKS\u2019 head coach Ricky Ponting feels that the pacer is getting back to his best, perhaps at the right time.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think in the last three games, to be particular, Arshdeep has been getting back to his best. He didn\u2019t pick up any wickets in the first three games, but since then, he has been pretty consistent,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut with the number of runs being scored this season, The IPL has become a much higher-scoring tournament now, and the bowlers\u2019 figures are going to reflect that. So, I\u2019ve been extremely happy with the way Arshdeep has bowled so far,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Even the experienced Lockie Ferguson and Xavier Bartlett, who have rotated as its overseas pace options, have struggled for consistency in the death overs. The side has conceded nine 200-plus totals this season, setting a record for the most such instances by any team in a single edition of a men\u2019s T20 tournament.<\/p>\n
Without a disciplined defensive spearhead to stem the flow of runs, Punjab is failing to contain teams in high-pressure finishes.<\/p>\n