Punjab Kings Top IPL Table; Bengaluru Battered by Hail

The IPL 2026 points table has a new leader this Thursday. Following Sunrisers Hyderabad’s record-breaking chase against Mumbai Indians last night, Punjab Kings (PBKS) have officially moved to the top of the standings with 13 points. The Mumbai Indians, despite a sensational century by Ryan Rickelton, find themselves languishing in 9th place, with their playoff qualification now dependent on other results and a significant net run rate boost. Abhishek Sharma (SRH) currently holds the Orange Cap, while CSK’s Anshul Kamboj leads the Purple Cap race.

While the cricket field saw a rain of sixes, the city of Bengaluru witnessed a literal rain of ice. A massive hailstorm battered the Karnataka capital late Wednesday, turning several neighborhoods white and bringing the city to a standstill. The extreme weather event followed a week of record-breaking 37°C heat. Tragically, the storm led to the collapse of a wall at the Bowring Hospital in Shivajinagar, claiming the lives of seven people, including three children. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his condolences and announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh for the families of the deceased.