IPL 2026: PBKS Seek Revival Against Struggling MI as Rohit Sharma Eyes 50th IPL Fifty
The 2025 season runners-up, Punjab Kings (PBKS) will be aiming to snap their four-match run of losses when they take on five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) at Dharamsala on Thursday, a fixture offering plenty of exciting match-ups and the possibility of a massive Rohit Sharma milestone happening.
After a dream start to the season, which spanned six wins and a no result, a total of seven unbeaten matches, PBKS' mid-season slump has been hard to watch as a minor dip in their batting and growing concerns around their bowling and fielding have resulted in four successive losses.
A ninth-placed MI, already out of playoff contention, could be an easy target for PBKS.
Here are some noteworthy talking points, milestones, match-ups ahead of the clash:
Arshdeep Singh vs Ryan Rickelton
Arshdeep, who bounced back to form with a solid two-wicket spell against Delhi Capitals (DC) is in need of consistency, having offered very little glimpses of his genius this season.
He has a positive match-up against a red-hot Rickelton, having dismissed him thrice in seven T20s and conceding just 51 runs.
Rickelton averages just 17 against the Indian left-armer and strikes at 118.6. He has hit six fours and two sixes against Arshdeep in 43 balls, as per ESPNCricinfo.
The BJP Nation
08 May 2026 - Vol 04 | Issue 70
Now all of India is in his thrall
Hitman approaching a major milestone
Rohit Sharma is one half-century away from completing 50 IPL fifties, a milestone only completed by Virat Kohli, David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan, as per ESPNCricinfo.
Having missed a considerable chunk of game time due to a hamstring injury, one just wonders how the season's Orange Cap list would have looked had Rohit played every game.
In six matches, he has scored 243 runs at an average of 48.60 and a strike rate of 177.37, with two fifties.
With 7,289 runs in 278 matches and 273 innings, Rohit is the second-highest IPL run-getter. His runs have come at an average of 30.11, with a strike rate of 133.22, including two centuries and 49 fifties.
PBKS skipper Iyer approaching 1,000-run mark with PBKS, 7,000 T20 runs
It has not been a smooth sailing for the 'Sarpanch Sahab' with the bat and as a captain since a while, but he has a milestone to look forward to.
He is just four runs away from completing 1,000 runs for PBKS, scoring 996 runs in 28 matches and 27 innings at an average of 52.42 and a strike rate of 170.54, with 11 fifties.
He is also 30 runs away from 7,000 T20 runs. In 251 T20s, he has made 6,970 runs at an average of 34.85 and a strike rate of 137.91, including three centuries and 44 fifties in 244 innings, with the best score of 147.
This season in 11 matches and 10 innings, Iyer has scored 392 runs at an average of 56.00 and a strike rate of 164.01, including five fifties and a best score of 71, as per ESPNCricinfo.
(With inputs from ANI)