They lost to RCB in the IPL 2025 final.
Punjab Kings (PBKS) came mighty close to lifting their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy in the 2025 season. They will be hoping to go all the way in the next edition and will look to strengthen their squad in the IPL 2026 Auction.
Led by Shreyas Iyer and coached by Ricky Ponting, Punjab Kings played exciting cricket throughout the season. They topped the points table with nine wins in 14 games but lost Qualifier 1 to Royal Challengers Bengaluru. PBKS then overcame Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 before falling six runs short in the final against RCB.
As they prepare for the next season, here’s a look at the likely Punjab Kings released players list ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.
AUSA-W
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INDA-W
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ROR
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TBW
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VSS
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BVB
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SKA
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ABF
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RJM
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SOS
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ZGA
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RJM
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SOS
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ZGA
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ZGW
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SOS
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ZGA
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RJM
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SOS
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ZGW
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ZAS
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ZGA
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SOS
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RJM
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ZGA
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ZAS
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ZGA
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SOS
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DURH
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MID
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LEI
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NOT
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BB
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KENT
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WOR
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HAM
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SURR
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GLAM
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YOR
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SOM
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BCC
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GUG
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LLG
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MUR
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NK
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NWW
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JJ
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SBSCC
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NCMI
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BCC
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CEC-A
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KGC
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KRMPS
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BCC
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BNB
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HBT
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MGD
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SML
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MYW
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MGD
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GBM
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BNB
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SLBL
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SLGY
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SLGR
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SLGY
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SOB
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NOS
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WEF
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MAO
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LOS
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TRR
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SBW-W
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NOS-W
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WFW-W
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MOW-W
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LSW-W
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TRW-W
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PBKS should retain most of their squad from the previous season. But there were some players who underperformed or just didn’t fit in the scheme of things. Ahead of the IPL 2026 Auction, here’s a look at the likely Punjab Kings Released Players List:
PBKS are likely to retain most of their squad from the previous year, barring a few misfits. Here’s a look at some of the big players in the expected Punjab Kings Released Players List:
IPL 2025 was the third stint with PBKS for Glenn Maxwell. Like the second one, it didn’t go well this time as well. He managed only 48 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 97. Maxwell was injured midway into the tournament and was replaced by Mitch Owen.
Azmatullah Omarzai played nine matches in the previous season but failed to make a mark. The all-rounder scored 57 runs at a strike rate of 139 and picked up eight wickets at an economy of 10.38.
Aaron Hardie was with the squad throughout the season but did not feature in a single game. He was the last in the pecking order for overseas players. With no experience in these conditions, Punjab Kings might let him go.
Here’s how the Punjab Kings squad might look after retentions and releases:
Category: Retained
Shreyas Iyer, Priyash Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Josh Inglis, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyashak, Yash Thakur, Musheer Khan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Lockie Ferguson, Harpreet Brar, Vishnu Vinod, Suryansh Shedge, and Mitch Owen.
Category: Released
Glenn Maxwell, Azmatullah Omarzai, Aaron Hardie, Kuldeep Sen, Pyla Avinash, Pravin Dubey, and Harnoor Pannu.
Captaincy Status
Shreyas Iyer led Punjab Kings into the playoffs for the first time in a decade. He will continue to lead the franchise.
READ MORE:
Ricky Ponting loves Aussie players so Punjab Kings will likely go after Cameron Green. The all-rounder has the ability to bat anywhere in the line-up and can chip in with a few overs.
The Kiwi off-spin all-rounder can be a perfect replacement for Glenn Maxwell. Michael Bracewell is an excellent bowler and can be flexible in the batting order.
The South African all-rounder Corbin Bosch could also be an option for Punjab Kings if Mumbai Indians release him. Bosch is a decent bowler and can bat down the order.
Likely released names include Glenn Maxwell, Azmatullah Omarzai, Aaron Hardie, and Kuldeep Sen.
Punjab Kings could go after Michael Bracewell to replace Maxwell.
Cameron Green could be a great option for Punjab Kings.
PBKS can try to acquire Corbin Bosch as a like-for-like replacement.
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