Lucknow:Punjab Kings will need something spectacular to arrest a disastrous slide and keep their fading playoff hopes alive when they take on already-eliminated Lucknow Super Giants, in their IPL clash, here on Saturday. Punjab’s campaign has unravelled dramatically since their record 265-run chase against Delhi Capitals on April 25. From remaining unbeaten till the midway stage and looking like genuine title contenders with six wins in seven matches, the last season’s runners-up have crashed to six successive defeats, leaving their playoff hopes hanging by a thread. Now placed fifth, Punjab not only need to beat LSG in their final league game here on Saturday but also depend on Sunday’s double headers (MI vs RR and KKR vs DC) to earn a place in the playoff. The Shreyas Iyer-led side would hope both Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders lose their respective matches. A Rajasthan Royals win over Mumbai would officially end Punjab’s hopes, while a KKR victory over Delhi Capitals could bring net run rate into play. At present, PBKS hold a slight edge in NRR over KKR. But before permutations come into the picture, Punjab first need to rediscover their form after a prolonged slump that has exposed flaws across departments. Their aggressive top order of Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh and Cooper Connolly has failed to provide the explosive starts that defined the first half of their season. Priyansh has managed just one fifty in his last seven innings and was dismissed for a duck in the previous game, while Prabhsimran too has struggled for consistency with only one fifty in his last five innings. Connolly has shown glimpses but has not converted starts into substantial scores.