PBKS collapse in IPL is simply crazy; maybe Yuvraj was right about the “slipper” treatment

Punjab Kings’ IPL 2026 campaign has turned into one of the most shocking collapses in tournament history.

For nearly a month, they looked unstoppable. Seven games unbeaten, six wins on the bounce, and comfortably sitting at the top of the table. Many fans had already started calling them title favourites.

Then came the disaster.

PBKS suddenly lost six matches in a row. Even after winning their final league game, they still failed to qualify for the playoffs as Rajasthan Royals finished above them with more points.

Nobody genuinely saw this coming.

What makes the collapse even more painful is how dominant Punjab looked in the first half of the season. But many fans now feel the team lost focus after tasting early success.

There was constant social media activity, banter, trolling of rival teams and too much outside noise surrounding the franchise. Star players like Arshdeep Singh also faced heavy criticism from fans for being highly active with controversial vlogs and online banter while his own performances dipped significantly. The left arm pacer finished the season with an economy rate above 10 across 14 matches, which only added more fuel to the criticism online.

Once defeats started coming, PBKS looked mentally unprepared to handle pressure or stage a comeback.

Ironically, former India all rounder Yuvraj Singh had jokingly warned some Punjab players before their crucial game.

Harpreet Brar recently posted a picture with Arshdeep Singh and Priyansh Arya on Instagram. Under the post, Yuvraj commented:

“Tuhade sariyan e chapalan da time ho gaya hai hun!”

Roughly translated, it means: “It’s time for you all to get a thrashing with slippers now!”

The comment has gone viral again after Punjab’s elimination, with fans joking that Yuvi somehow predicted the collapse.

Yuvraj has mentored several young Indian stars over the years including Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, who trained with him before winning Player of the Tournament at the T20 World Cup 2026.

Brar, Arshdeep and Priyansh Arya have also spent time learning under the 2011 World Cup hero.

Now, after one of the IPL’s most brutal late season collapses, the big debate has begun once again: who deserves the blame for Punjab Kings’ downfall?