"It's now or never for us": Ponting backs Punjab Kings to play fearless cricket in crucial Lucknow clash

Punjab Kings (PBKS) are keeping things simple and positive ahead of their final league match of the IPL 2026 season. The team is in Lucknow to face Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Saturday evening. Even though the last few weeks have been tough, the message from the camp is clear: forget recent results and get back to the winning brand of cricket that saw them dominate the first half of the tournament, according to a press release from PBKS.

With a playoff spot on the line, the Kings are treating this as a clean slate. Speaking at the pre-match press conference on Friday, Head Coach Ricky Ponting mentioned that the mood in the dressing room is calm, relaxed, and ready for the challenge. "There's a really good, positive vibe around the group, it's been really relaxed. We've got quite an experienced group of players so they know how to go about getting themselves prepared for big games, and I guess there's no hiding from the fact that it's now or never for us as a team in this tournament. So I'm really excited about tomorrow. I'm excited about what this group is capable of, and I think we all saw in the first seven games of the season just how good this team can play," said Ponting.

Addressing the challenge posed by Lucknow, Ponting noted that teams with nothing to lose can be highly unpredictable, which is why he wants his side to match that intensity with an aggressive approach of their own. "I think teams in situations like this can be very dangerous. Lucknow going into tomorrow, apart from probably personal pride and pride for the franchise's performance, they've really got nothing else to lose. But we understand that, and that's the way that I want my boys to play as well. I want us to be fearless and I want us to be daring. I want us to take the game on and not be worried about the negative things that might happen," he added.

Ponting also pointed out that T20 cricket often comes down to minor details, meaning total focus on individual execution is what will tip the scales back in the Kings' favour. "It's really important we focus on the positive things and what you can do as an individual player to make an impact on the game there and then. These games in the IPL are decided by very, very fine margins. You've only got to be off by a couple of balls here and there, or one of your batsmen might take a bad option, or a freakish piece of fielding to change the momentum. So we're aware of that, but we just need to know that we need to play our best game tomorrow," he said.

The coaching staff maintains absolute belief in the squad's core strengths, praising both strike bowler Arshdeep Singh's work ethic in a high-scoring tournament and captain Shreyas Iyer's exceptional leadership. "In the last few games, we've probably seen Arshdeep getting back to his best. The IPL is becoming a much higher-scoring competition, and I've been extremely happy and proud of the way he has gone about his cricket. He leaves no stone unturned as far as his preparation's concerned. Alongside him, Shreyas' leadership around the group has been exceptional. He's a very mature leader now who understands how to get the best out of his players. Every time that he speaks, every one of our players looks up and listens," Ponting concluded.

Punjab Kings will face Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Saturday. (ANI)

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