Sachin Tendulkar has shared his take on PBKS. Photo: PTI/BCCI Punjab Kings (PBKS) dominated their opponents in the first half of IPL 2026 and at one stage, they looked set to finish in the top two. They didn't lose a single game in the first half of the season and registered six wins. PBKS' third game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) was washed out due to rain. They were the top-placed team for the maximum number of days in the league stage. PBKS' form dwindled in the second half and they suffered six back-to-back defeats. By the time they won their last league stage game against Lucknow Super Giants (PBKS), PBKS didn't have their destiny in their hands and they crashed out of the league stage. Rajasthan Royals pipped PBKS to become the fourth team to make it to the playoffs. Following the conclusion of IPL 2026, Sachin Tendulkar revealed the reason behind PBKS' early exit. In a post on Reddit, the Master Blaster wrote that the shift in focus towards the 'results' cost PBKS. "Punjab Kings brought wonderful energy to the tournament. Their cricket was positive, brave and often game-changing. Momentum plays a crucial role in lengthy tournaments. Eventually, in such a fast-moving tournament, it boils down to process and not getting attached to results. Punjab focused more on process in the first half and more on results in the second," he wrote. With 7 wins and 15 points, PBKS finished in the fifth position. RR had 8 wins and 16 points. They crashed out after losing to Gujarat Titans (GT) in the second qualifier. Shreyas Iyer-led PBKS enjoyed a dream run in IPL 2025 and played their first IPL final since 2014. They lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the final. RCB emulated their success in IPL 2026 and became only the third team after Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians to retain the trophy. RCB defeated GT in the IPL 2026 final to become two-time IPL Champions. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Cricket, IPL 2026, IPL Points Table, and around the Sports. Rishav Narang is an experienced writer with nine years of experience in sports journalism. He extensively writes on cricket and covers live matches, b... View More