Punjab Kings

Punjab Kings (PBKS), one of the original IPL franchises since 2008, have yet to win an IPL championship despite reaching the final in 2014. The team, based in Mohali, is known for its passionate fanbase and aggressive playing style but has often struggled with consistency, finishing outside the playoffs in most seasons.

In IPL 2025, PBKS ended in 7th position, showing flashes of brilliance with explosive batting but faltering in crunch games due to bowling inconsistencies. Key highlights included standout performances from their retained core, though mid-table finishes highlighted execution issues under pressure.

Ahead of IPL 2026, PBKS retained captain Shreyas Iyer, opener Prabhsimran Singh, all-rounder Marcus Stoinis, pace spearhead Arshdeep Singh, and spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, forming a solid nucleus of leadership, top-order stability, finishing power, and bowling variety. They released Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis, Aaron Hardie, Kuldeep Sen, and Praveen Dubey to refresh the squad. Strengths include a balanced core with Iyer's tactics, Stoinis' versatility, and Chahal-Arshdeep's wicket-taking ability; weaknesses lie in opener fragility and lack of death bowling depth.

With a substantial auction purse of ₹120 Cr, PBKS should target explosive opener Quinton de Kock for stability, all-rounder Liam Livingstone to boost middle-order firepower, and pace ace Anrich Nortje to strengthen the attack—all available in the IPL 2026 pool. These additions could propel them towards playoffs.