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Punjab Kings Recruit Shines In Maharaja T20 Trophy, Smashes Unbeaten 53 off 19 balls To Improve Chances For IPL 2026 Retention

Samarnath Soory

Last updated: August 20, 2025

2 min read

Punjab Kings had recruited Pravin Dubey as a back-up for star leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal for INR 30 lakh in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction.

The 32-year-old has been a fringe player for Karnataka in the white-ball formats since his senior debut season in 2015-16 and he served as an able deputy to Chahal by coming in as PBKS’ Impact Player substitution in league game against Delhi Capitals and got the wicket of Sediqullah Atal who was striking big.

Punjab Kings leg-spinner Pravin Dubey keeps IPL 2026 retention hopes alive

While his fringe player tag hasn’t gone away in elite-level cricket, Dubey has been superb in the Maharaja T20 Trophy. In the 2023 edition, Dubey was the key member of title winners Hubli Tigers with 13 wickets from 12 innings at an average of 17 and an economy of 7.

He was also a regular for Gulbarga Mystics in the 2024 edition and claimed four wickets from six innings at an economy of 8 as they reached the semifinals.

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The experienced campaigner has been considered a handy batter which also got him two seasons with Royal Challengers Bengaluru and one season with Delhi Capitals in the IPL much before he got his First-Class debut with Karnataka.

In the ongoing Maharaja T20 Trophy 2025, Dubey has been in good touch for Gulbarga as a batter rather than as a bowler. He has claimed one wicket from seven games, but has scored 32 runs at a strike rate north of 120.

Pravin Dubey smashes seven sixes in thrilling Maharaja T20 Trophy 2025

But on Wednesday, the veteran proved he is no slouch with the bat in chase of 210 against Mysuru Warriors.

On a batting friendly pitch in Mysuru, opener Luvnith Sisodia smashed four sixes in the first over itself and scored 37 off 13 balls while in-form batter Smaran Ravichandran slammed four sixes in his innings of 38 off 24 balls before Krishmurthy Siddharth, another in-form batter, assumed control of the chase.

However, it was Dubey who rained seven sixes against an experienced bowling attack. Needing three runs to win and two to force a tie-breaker, Dubey slammed Kumar LR over the mid-wicket to bring up a seven-wicket win.

Punjab Kings will have a lot of options to retain for the IPL 2026 season after reaching the final after 11 years, but a sensational season for Dubey might see them consider retaining him.