Punjab Kings rediscovered their winning touch after six defeats in a row through skipper Shreyas Iyer’s majestic unbeaten 101 as they handed Lucknow Super Giants a seven-wicket towelling to stay alive in the IPL playoffs race here on Saturday.Shreyas, whose maiden IPL hundred came off 51 balls, and Prabhsimran Singh (69, 39 balls) added 140 runs for the third wicket as Punjab scaled down LSG’s 196 for two in 18 overs. PBKS made 200 for three.The victory helped Punjab to reach 15 points from their all 14 league engagements to reclaim the No. 4 position on the table.How can Punjab Kings qualifyPunjab Kings made a flying start to IPL 2026 under captain Shreyas Iyer, winning six of their first seven matches, with one fixture ending in no result.But their campaign lost momentum dramatically in the second half of the season as PBKS slumped to six straight defeats during the crucial phase of the tournament.Now, last season’s runners-up head into their final league game against the already-eliminated Lucknow Super Giants needing not just a win, but favourable results elsewhere to keep their playoff hopes alive.A victory over LSG would take Punjab to 15 points, but qualification would still remain uncertain.PBKS’ biggest concern is the clash between Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians. If RR beat MI and move to 16 points, Punjab will be eliminated from playoff contention.If RR lose and PBKS defeat LSG, Punjab will then hope for Delhi Capitals to beat Kolkata Knight Riders.Punjab, however, hold a significant net run-rate advantage over both RR and KKR, which could prove decisive if teams finish level on points.PBKS qualification equationBeat LSGRR must lose to MIDC must beat KKRMeanwhile, KKR’s clash against DC has effectively turned into a virtual knockout.