India, May 17 -- Punjab Kings entered the second half of IPL 2026 looking like a side built to bully the tournament. Their batting had been violent enough to turn imperfect bowling nights into wins. Their top order was not giving opponents time to settle. Their chases had a frightening certainty. Their home base in Mullanpur had also given them a familiar rhythm.

That rhythm has now broken. Punjab have lost five completed matches in a row, and the defeats have not followed one simple pattern. They lost after scoring 222 against the Rajasthan Royals. They lost after making 202 against Sunrisers Hyderabad. They lost after posting 210 against the Delhi Capitals. They lost again after making 200 against the Mumbai Indians. The slide has expo...