Ricky Ponting could barely hide his frustration after Punjab Kings suffered another fielding meltdown during their IPL 2026 defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Punjab Kings dropped three crucial catches during the match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, ultimately losing by 33 runs and slipping from the top position in the IPL points table.
Ponting Calls PBKS Catching Problem a “Virus”
During a live mid-innings television interview, Ponting openly expressed concern over Punjab’s recurring fielding struggles.
The former Australian captain described the issue as “a virus” affecting the team throughout the season.
According to Ponting, the repeated dropped catches have become a major concern despite the squad working extensively on fielding drills during training sessions.
Missed Chances Prove Costly for Punjab Kings
The first major opportunity went down when Cooper Connolly dropped Ishan Kishan in the eighth over. Kishan capitalised on the reprieve and went on to score a crucial half-century for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Soon after, Shashank Singh failed to hold onto a catch offered by Heinrich Klaasen off the bowling of Yuzvendra Chahal.
Ponting defended Shashank, noting that the player had recently returned from a hamstring injury and had been working hard to regain match fitness.
However, the frustration escalated further when Lockie Ferguson dropped another catch of Ishan Kishan in the 11th over, again denying Chahal a wicket.
Reacting live on air, Ponting admitted he was “pretty close to throwing the microphone on the field” after witnessing the third missed opportunity.
PBKS Struggling With Catching Efficiency
Punjab Kings have emerged as one of the weakest fielding teams in IPL 2026 based on catching efficiency statistics.
The team currently has a catching success rate of just 73.6 per cent, with only Delhi Capitals performing worse this season.
The dropped chances proved extremely costly as Punjab failed to chase down Sunrisers Hyderabad’s massive total of 236 runs.
Third Consecutive Defeat Hurts Playoff Push
The loss marked Punjab Kings’ third straight defeat after previously enjoying a seven-match unbeaten run earlier in the tournament.
It also extended PBKS’ miserable record in Hyderabad, where they have now lost nine consecutive IPL matches against Sunrisers Hyderabad — a new IPL record.
The previous unwanted record belonged to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who had suffered eight straight defeats against Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk.
With the IPL playoffs approaching, Punjab Kings will now face increasing pressure to improve their fielding standards and regain momentum quickly.
