New Delhi, May 11 (IANS) India legend Sunil Gavaskar has picked Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru as the finalists for the IPL 2026 season after the Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants were eliminated from the race to the playoffs.

RCB orchestrated one of the most astonishing victories in tournament history, edging past MI by two wickets in a chaotic last-ball thriller. Having suffered their eighth loss in 11 games, MI hopes of qualifying for the playoffs have been dashed. Meanwhile, RCB have moved to the top spot on the table with their seventh win in 11 games.

On the other hand, PBKS, who had a blazing start to the season that saw them go unbeaten through their first seven games, now find themselves searching for a response following three consecutive defeats. Yet, with 13 points already on the board, PBKS remain firmly in the race, as they are currently sitting fourth in the standings.

“I would still back Punjab Kings. Sometimes, a couple of losses can actually help a team reset and avoid complacency. Delhi Capitals, on the other hand, have lost games they should have won, and that has been a recurring issue for them this season. Punjab will know how important this stage of the tournament is, and they won’t want self-doubt creeping in with another defeat. I still see Punjab Kings and RCB as my finalists for this season." Gavakskar said on JioStar.

As MI were knocked out of the playoffs race, Gavaskar elaborated on the five-time winners’ approach for the remainder of the season and said it may be the right opportunity to give younger players a chance.

“In T20 cricket, ups and downs are bound to happen. Once the season ends, that’s the right time to properly assess what went wrong. But at this stage, my view is that the senior players have given everything they had. Now, it may be the right opportunity to give younger players a chance in the remaining matches. That will help the franchise understand how these youngsters handle pressure and whether they can justify the faith shown in them," he said.

PBKS are slated to take on Delhi Capitals in their first game of the season at the picturesque HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala on Monday evening.

--IANS

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