Ricky Ponting, Shreyas Iyer

Punjab Kings head coach ricky ponting Said the team is calm and focused ahead of their final league-stage match of IPL 2026 against Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Saturday.With a playoff spot still at stake, PBKS are looking to move on from recent results and return to the form that helped them dominate the first half of the season.Speaking at the pre-match press conference on Friday, Ponting said that despite the pressure of the situation, the atmosphere in the dressing room remained positive.“There’s a really good, positive atmosphere around the group, it’s really comfortable. We have quite an experienced group of players, so they know how to prepare themselves for big games, and I think there’s no hiding the fact that it’s a now or never situation 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 in the first seven games of the season we’ve all seen how well this team can play,” Ponting said.Ponting also warned that LSG could still be dangerous despite being out of the playoff race.He said, “I think teams can be very dangerous in situations like this. Going into Lucknow tomorrow, apart from personal pride and pride in the franchise’s performance, they really have nothing to lose. But we understand that, and I want my boys to play like that. I want us to be fearless and I want us to be courageous. I want us to keep playing the game and not worry about negative things happening.”The former Australia captain said close moments often decide T20 matches and stressed the need for players to focus on execution.“It’s really important that we focus on the positive things and what you can do as an individual player to make an impact on the game. In IPL, these games are decided by very good margins. You only need to be out with a few balls here and there, otherwise one of your batsmen may make a poor choice, or take a strange piece of fielding to change the pace. So we’re aware of that, but we just need to know that we have to play our best game tomorrow.”Ponting also praised fast bowler Arshdeep Singh and captain Shreyas Iyer for their contributions during the season.“In the last few games, we have probably seen Arshdeep at his best. The IPL is becoming a very high-scoring competition, and I am extremely happy and proud of the way he has gone about his cricket. He leaves no stone unturned as far as his preparation is concerned. Along with him, Shreyas’s leadership in the group has been exceptional. He is now a very mature leader who understands how to get the best out of his players. Whenever he speaks, every one of our players looks up and listens,” Ponting concluded.Punjab Kings will take on Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow on Saturday.