NEW DELHI: Last season's finalists Punjab Kings entered the IPL 2026 auction with a purse of Rs 11.50 crore and four slots to fill, including two overseas positions, as they looked to fine-tune their squad after falling short in last season’s title clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. With a settled core already in place, the franchise focused on adding depth rather than making headline-grabbing purchases.
PBKS have retained a strong and well-balanced nucleus under the leadership of skipper Shreyas Iyer. Their batting group blends youth with experience, with Prabhsimran Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh and Harnoor Pannu forming a dependable Indian core.
Youngsters Musheer Khan and Priyansh Arya add future promise and flexibility, while the presence of Marcus Stoinis and Azmatullah Omarzai ensures all-round options in both departments. The bowling attack, led by Arshdeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal, continues to be one of the team’s major strengths.
While Punjab Kings adopted a measured approach, the mini auction at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi was dominated by big-money deals elsewhere.
Punjab Kings strengthened their squad by picking up Cooper Connolly for Rs 3 crore, Ben Dwarshuis for Rs 4.40 crore, and adding domestic depth with Pravin Dubey and Vishal Nishad at Rs 30 lakh each. These additions complement a retained group that already includes the likes of Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, Harpreet Brar and Xavier Bartlett.
With a settled core, improved depth and a mix of proven performers and emerging talent, Punjab Kings will head into IPL 2026 aiming to go one step further and convert last season’s heartbreak into a long-awaited title triumph.
Australian all-rounder Cameron Green grabbed the spotlight after being snapped up by Kolkata Knight Riders for a staggering Rs 25.20 crore, making him the third most expensive player in IPL history. Chennai Super Kings, meanwhile, went all out for uncapped Indian talent as Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma became the highest-priced uncapped players in IPL history. KKR further made waves by securing Matheesha Pathirana for Rs 18 crore, a record fee for a Sri Lankan player at an IPL auction.
Overall, all 10 franchises filled the 77 available slots, spending a combined Rs 215.45 crore in a frenetic auction that underlined the league’s growing financial muscle.
Punjab Kings Full Team List IPL 2026
Retained players:Arshdeep Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harnoor Pannu, Harpreet Brar, Lockie Ferguson, Marco Jansen, Marcus Stoinis, Mitch Owen, Musheer Khan, Nehal Wadhera, Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Pyla Avinash, Shashank Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Suryansh Shedge, Vishnu Vinod, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal
Players bought at auction:Cooper Connolly (Rs 3 crore), Pravin Dubey (Rs 30 lakh), Vishal Nishad (Rs 30 lakh), Ben Dwarshuis (Rs 4.40 crore)
FULL SQUAD: Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer, Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Musheer Khan, Pyala Avinash, Harnoor Pannu, Suryansh Shedge, Mitchell Owen, Xavier Bartlett, Lockie Ferguson, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Yash Thakur, Vishnu Vinod, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Pravin Dubey, Vishal Nishad.
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