One of them is currently the leading wicket taker in SMAT 2025-26.
Punjab Kings (PBKS), the last season finalists, will enter the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction to fill their remaining four slots in the squad that will be on the PBKS target players list. They retained 21 players from the previous season, and now they have INR 11.50 crore left in the purse for the auction. With this amount, they will look to pick all the players they are targeting.
One of the areas they will look to fill is the domestic pacer slot, as they have released Kuldeep Sen. They have Arshdeep Singh, Yash Thakur and Vijaykumar Vyshak for now, but they will want to add more bowlers as main options as well as backups. There are several domestic bowlers performing impressively in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025-26.
Let’s look at two domestic pacers from SMAT who could be on the PBKS target list in the upcoming auction.
Auqib Nabi has been in brilliant form in domestic cricket this season. He could be one of the PBKS target in the IPL 2026 auction. The right arm pacer from Jammu and Kashmir is currently the second highest wicket taker in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season so far. He has picked 29 wickets in five matches with a best of 7/24. He has taken three five wicket hauls and one four wicket haul in just nine innings. He is the leading wicket taker among pacers.
Not only in the Ranji Trophy, but in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy he has also taken nine wickets in four matches, with at least one wicket in every game. His economy rate has been 7.83, which is good in T20 cricket. He bowls with the new ball and has a knack for taking wickets.
If he is on the PBKS target list for the upcoming season and they manage to sign him, he can complement Arshdeep Singh well, as it brings a left right combination and will help the team.
It will also allow PBKS to use Arshdeep for 1-2 overs in the end, while Auqib Nabi can bowl two to three overs in the powerplay. With pacers like Jansen and Ferguson already in the squad, buying Auqib will help PBKS strengthen their bowling attack.
ALSO READ:
Ashok Sharma was bought by Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2025 auction for INR 30 lakh but did not get to play any match in the season, and he was later released by the franchise on the deadline day. However, he could still get a contract in the IPL 2026 auction, as he might be on the PBKS target list because of his strong form in domestic cricket.
In the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26, representing Rajasthan, Ashok has taken 12 wickets in four matches and is currently the leading wicket taker in the tournament. He has taken three wickets twice, two wickets once, and four wickets once.
In a recent match, he took three wickets in one over to finish the game and helped Rajasthan win against Uttarakhand. He is a tall fast bowler who hits the deck hard and bowls above 140 kmph.
PBKS have released a similar type of bowler, Kuldeep Sen, who was with them last season. If they get Ashok Sharma, he can bowl in the powerplay and also in the death overs, as he has shown in the SMAT. His pace and ability to take wickets make him a good option for Punjab.
In the Ranji Trophy season, he has taken 14 wickets in four matches, so he has been in very impressive form this year. This could be the reason why he might be on the PBKS target players list in the IPL 2026 auction.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
