IPL Dispatch: Shreyas Iyer Rooting For MI; Injured Jacob Bethell Flies Back To England

Going into their last league game of the season, Punjab Kings (PBKS) were at sixes and sevens, literally and figuratively. Six straight losses after seven unbeaten games had taken the once-table-toppers to the brink of a stunning early exit. They are still not guaranteed a playoff spot, but PBKS did what they could on Saturday (May 23) to stay alive in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.

ALSO READ: LSG Vs PBKS Highlights

At the heart of a seven-wicket dismantling of Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) 197-run target was Shreyas Iyer. The Kings skipper reserved his best of sorts for the last, cracking a maiden IPL hundred to lift Punjab from a precarious 22 for two to the finish line, with two overs to spare.

Iyer achieved a cinematic climax to boot. He was five runs away from his century and Punjab needed just three more runs to win as Mohsin Khan ran up to bowl the last delivery of the 18th over. That is when the India batter launched a majestic strike over long on, and his instantaneous beaming smile told the tale. Milestones like tons don't usually seem to matter to Shreyas, but getting his first one at such a pivotal moment surely was the icing on the cake.

Conversely, the Super Giants signed off from a disastrous campaign with their 10th defeat of the season. It was almost painful to see Rishabh Pant repeatedly put up a brave face at his post-match chats with the broadcaster, knowing how things just did not fall in place for his team.

He summed it up optimistically, one last time: "It's been a long season but at the same time, just keeping our head high and we promise to come back stronger next year, regardless of anything."

Photo Of The Day

A silver lining for LSG was the way Arjun Tendulkar bowled in difficult scenarios. Playing his first (and only) game of IPL 2026 and just his sixth match overall in the league, Arjun nailed his yorkers to set batters. A particularly searing one bamboozled opener Prabhsimran Singh, who was hit on the boot flush in front and perished for a game-changing 39-ball 69.

Arjun's performance elicited a heartfelt tweet from proud father Sachin Tendulkar, who wrote on X: "Well done, Arjun. Proud of the way you’ve carried yourself through this season, always believing in your ability, staying patient, working hard quietly, and remaining positive despite having to wait for your opportunity till the very last match.

"Cricket tests patience as much as skill, and you handled both beautifully today. Keep your feet on the ground, and continue being in love with the game like you always have. Love you always."

Bethell To Miss Playoffs

Days before they take the field for Qualifier 1 against Gujarat Titans (GT), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have been dealt a blow with opener Jacob Bethell returning to England to tend to a left ring finger injury that he sustained while playing against PBKS. Bethell, who stepped in for injured compatriot Phil Salt at RCB, is a part of England’s Test squad to face New Zealand in a home series, which starts on June 4. Salt has since then rejoined the Royal Challengers squad.

The southpaw will be "fully assessed and monitored" by the medical team to determine his availability for selection for the first Test at Lord’s, a media release from England and Wales Cricket Board stated.

Super Sunday Beckons!

The last double-header of the season — bearing the league-phase-concluding matches — is here, and the stakes could hardly be higher. Two of the four teams in action are still in contention for the playoffs, and a third one in the form of PBKS will be nervously watching to learn their fate.

Rajasthan Royals (RR) visit the eliminated Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede for the afternoon encounter. Win this game and the Royals would seal the final playoff spot on offer, no questions asked. In case Rajasthan falter, the outcome of the evening game between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and the knocked-out Delhi Capitals (DC) assumes additional importance.

Punjab finished on 15 points and a loss would leave RR on 14. It would then become a two-way battle between PBKS and KKR: if the Capitals avoid a big defeat at the Eden Gardens, the Kings advance whereas the Knight Riders can sneak through with a massive victory margin (around 77 runs if batting first or win with approximately 44-48 balls to spare if chasing).

IPL 2026 Points Table After Match 68

Replacements Galore

Even in the business end of the 2026 edition, injuries and player replacements continue to be the order of the day. The Royals have drafted in Emanjot Chahal in place of Ravi Singh, who has been ruled out with a hamstring injury. Emanjot, a 21-year-old all-rounder from Patiala, has a top-score of 83 in First-Class cricket, besides taking 11 wickets from three matches. He has joined RR for a fee of INR 30 lakh.

In the Mumbai camp, Mahipal Lomror comes in for Quinton de Kock, while Ruchit Ahir has been signed as a replacement for Raj Angad Bawa. Both de Kock and Bawa have been ruled out due to injury. The seasoned Lomror joins MI for INR 50 lakh, and the relatively inexperienced Ruchit for INR 30 lakh.

Quote Of The Day

Having achieved the two-point goal against LSG and scoring his first IPL hundred in the process, Iyer said he was feeling "ecstatic". But his team's further participation in the tournament hinges on the aforementioned MI vs RR clash, and the Punjab captain was well aware of that. "We support MI tomorrow," he offered in genuine hope at the post-match presentation.

Iyer said the Kings kept the strategy simple ahead of the must-win game against Lucknow. "We just kept it simple, rather than having meetings and putting pressure on the boys. Free flow of mind is required in crucial games. We don't want to make them overthink, and I told Ricky (Ponting) that we don't need to do a team meeting," he added.

Elsewhere...

The Indian women’s cricket team departed for England ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, set to be played across England and Wales from June 12 to July 5. Fans gathered in Mumbai to give the Women in Blue a warm send-off as the side departed with hopes of ending its long wait for a maiden T20 World Cup crown.

As for their male counterparts, Suryakumar Yadav's future as India's T20 captain could primarily be decided by head coach Gautam Gambhir as the national selection committee is reportedly not convinced that he can make it to the team purely as a batter.

PTI reported that the selection panel is in favour of moving on from Suryakumar but the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) hierarchy also recognises that the coach-captain equation is integral to the dressing-room environment. Gambhir's stated comfort with Suryakumar will make him a key figure in the final call, the report quoted a senior BCCI source as saying.