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May 15 (Reuters) - Punjab Kings set the early pace in the Indian Premier League by going seven matches unbeaten, but a run of five straight defeats has left their playoffs hopes in the balance and assistant coach Brad Haddin concedes they have failed to deal with the pressure.
Tilak Varma's match-winning knock powered Mumbai Indians to a six-wicket win on Thursday and left Punjab likely needing wins over Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Lucknow Super Giants in their final two games to stay in contention for a playoffs spot.
"We just haven't been able to handle the pressure in the last few defeats," Haddin told reporters on Thursday.
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Punjab Kings have experienced a significant slump, losing five consecutive matches after a strong start. Assistant coach Brad Haddin attributes this to an inability to handle pressure during crucial moments.
Following their fifth straight defeat, Punjab Kings' playoff hopes are in jeopardy. They now likely need to win their remaining two games and rely on other results to advance.
Tilak Varma played a match-winning knock of 75 not out off 33 balls, including six fours and six sixes. His aggressive innings guided Mumbai Indians to chase down Punjab Kings' total with one ball to spare.
The Punjab Kings bowling attack has been identified as one of the weakest, with a high economy rate and bowling average. Foreign quicks Marco Jansen and Xavier Bartlett have particularly struggled to contain runs.
Assistant coach Brad Haddin acknowledged a drop in fielding standards across the tournament, including for Punjab Kings. He noted that while they have done some good things, there are areas that need improvement.
"We haven't played our best cricket when we need to, which has been disappointing. We are as disappointed as you guys are with the way we started the tournament and where we are now.
"The one thing that does come out of it is we've got to find a way to get out of it. There's no hiding that we've got to play better."
Punjab's slump has raised questions about consistency and squad fitness but Haddin said the players had to focus on winning and block everything else out.
"You've got to deal with everything outside and make sure when you get across that line you're in the right headspace to play and that's exactly what we need to do," he added.
"Now there's no talking about what if. We have to find a way to get the good that we've had."
Punjab next play Bengaluru on Sunday. (Reporting by Suramya Kaushik in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford )
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