Preity Zinta Visits Golden Temple, Backs Punjab Kings’ Playoff Push

Actor and Punjab Kings co-owner Preity Zinta visited the Golden Temple in Amritsar, performed seva in the langar hall, and expressed confidence that PBKS will qualify for the IPL 2026 playoffs.

Bollywood actor and Punjab Kings co-owner Preity Zinta visited the Golden Temple on Saturday night, where she offered prayers ahead of Punjab Kings’ crucial IPL 2026 fixture. The visit drew large crowds at the shrine, with devotees and fans gathering to catch a glimpse of the actor and interact with her.

Preity Zinta bowed at the sanctum sanctorum and later participated in ‘seva’ at the langar hall, where she served food to devotees. Videos and photographs from the visit surfaced online late Saturday, showing her interacting with pilgrims and temple volunteers.

Seva At Langar Hall

After paying obeisance at the shrine, Preity Zinta spent time in the community kitchen area, distributing langar to devotees. Temple visitors appeared enthusiastic during the visit, with several people stopping to take photographs with her.

Speaking briefly to local media outside the shrine complex, she said, “Baba Ji called, he invited, so we came.” She added that the team has an important match scheduled for May 11 and that she had come to seek blessings for Punjab Kings’ campaign.

The actor expressed confidence in the team’s playoff chances, saying Punjab Kings would continue to fight hard in the remaining league matches. According to her, the support from fans across Punjab has played a major role in keeping the squad motivated during the season.

Confidence In PBKS

Referring to Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer, Preity Zinta said fans in Punjab affectionately call him “Sarpanch”, something the franchise considers a matter of pride.

She also thanked cricket supporters in the state for backing the side throughout the tournament. “The love from Punjab gives confidence to the players,” she said during the interaction.

Punjab Kings have remained among the stronger teams in IPL 2026 despite a mixed run in recent matches. The franchise stayed near the top of the points table for a significant part of the season after a strong opening stretch.

Strong Start To Season

Under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy, Punjab Kings won five of their first six matches and built early momentum in the tournament. One of their league games against Kolkata Knight Riders was washed out due to rain, leaving the side unbeaten during the initial phase.

At present, PBKS are placed third in the IPL 2026 standings with 13 points from 10 matches. The side has registered six wins, three defeats and one no-result so far, while maintaining a healthy net run rate.

The team also made headlines earlier this season after chasing down a mammoth 265-run target against Delhi Capitals, a result widely discussed as one of the biggest successful run chases in T20 cricket. Punjab Kings also posted 254/7 against Lucknow Super Giants in another high-scoring encounter.

Recent Losses Raise Concerns

Despite the strong start, Punjab Kings have suffered setbacks in recent outings. Consecutive defeats against Rajasthan Royals, Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad exposed concerns around death-over bowling and fielding lapses.

Sources familiar with the team’s campaign said the management remains optimistic but is aware that the remaining fixtures will be crucial in determining final playoff positions.

The franchise still controls its qualification scenario to a large extent. A strong finish in the league stage could even help the side secure a top-two position, which provides an additional opportunity to reach the IPL final through the qualifier system.

Playoff Qualification Equation

According to the current points-table situation, Punjab Kings can comfortably qualify for the playoffs if they win at least two of their remaining four matches. That would take the team to 17 points, generally considered enough for a top-four finish.

Winning all four remaining matches could potentially help PBKS finish at the top of the table. However, if the side manages only one more victory, qualification may then depend on net run rate and results involving other contenders, including Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans.

With the league phase entering a decisive stage, Punjab Kings’ upcoming matches are expected to draw significant attention from fans across the state.