Punjab Kings (PBKS) went into the IPL 2026 mini-auction with one of the smallest budgets. They had just ₹11.50 crore in hand, the second-lowest purse after Mumbai Indians. PBKS kept most of their squad intact, retaining 21 players and releasing only four, which showed how much trust they had in their existing group after finishing runners-up last season.
Led by Shreyas Iyer, Punjab Kings had only four slots to fill before the auction, including two overseas spots. With a settled team, a confident captain, and clear plans, PBKS were never expected to be very active. As expected, they stayed quiet for most of the auction and signed just four players at the event held in Abu Dhabi.
ALSO READ: Chennai Super Kings IPL 2026: Auction Buys, Full Squad & Playing XI
Can Punjab Kings Finally Win Their Maiden IPL Title?
Punjab Kings are one of the oldest teams in the IPL and have been part of the league since the very first season. Last year turned out to be one of their best campaigns in a long time, as they reached the final for only the second time in 18 years. Their strong run gave fans hope that the team has finally found the right balance.
In the early years from 2008 to 2013, PBKS showed promise but struggled to stay consistent across seasons. While they had some strong players and good starts, they often failed to finish tournaments on a high note, which kept them away from major success.
Now, with stability in leadership and most of the squad unchanged, Punjab Kings will aim to build on last season’s performance. With fewer changes and clear roles, they will hope to take one more step forward and finally go all the way in IPL 2026.
ALSO READ: Delhi Capitals IPL 2026: Auction Buys, Full Squad & Playing XI
PBKS Retained / Traded Players (IPL 2026)
| No. | Player | Role | Status | Price (₹ Cr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shreyas Iyer | Batter | Retained | 26.75 |
| 2 | Yuzvendra Chahal | Bowler | Retained | 18.00 |
| 3 | Arshdeep Singh | Bowler | Retained | 18.00 |
| 4 | Marcus Stoinis | All-rounder | Retained | 11.00 |
| 5 | Marco Jansen | All-rounder | Retained | 7.00 |
| 6 | Shashank Singh | All-rounder | Retained | 5.50 |
| 7 | Nehal Wadhera | Batter | Retained | 4.20 |
| 8 | Prabhsimran Singh | Batter | Retained | 4.00 |
| 9 | Priyansh Arya | Batter | Retained | 3.80 |
| 10 | Mitchell Owen | All-rounder | Retained | 3.00 |
| 11 | Azmatullah Omarzai | All-rounder | Retained | 2.40 |
| 12 | Lockie Ferguson | Fast bowler | Retained | 2.00 |
| 13 | Vijaykumar Vyshak | Fast bowler | Retained | 1.80 |
| 14 | Yash Thakur | Fast bowler | Retained | 1.60 |
| 15 | Harpreet Brar | All-rounder | Retained | 1.50 |
| 16 | Vishnu Vinod | Batter | Retained | 0.95 |
| 17 | Xavier Bartlett | Fast bowler | Retained | 0.80 |
| 18 | Suryansh Shedge | All-rounder | Retained | 0.30 |
| 19 | Pyla Avinash | Batter | Retained | 0.30 |
| 20 | Musheer Khan | All-rounder | Retained | 0.30 |
| 21 | Harnoor Singh | Batter | Retained | 0.30 |
PBKS Auction Buys (IPL 2026 Mini Auction)
| No. | Player | Role | Status | Price (₹ Cr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ben Dwarshuis | All-rounder | Bought | 4.40 |
| 2 | Cooper Connolly | All-rounder | Bought | 3.00 |
| 3 | Praveen Dubey | Bowler | Bought | 0.30 |
| 4 | Vishal Nishad | Bowler | Bought | 0.30 |
Punjab Kings Squad for IPL 2026
Shreyas Iyer (c), Marcus Stoinis, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marcus Stoinis, Prabhsimran Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Harpreet Brar, Musheer Khan, Priyansh Arya, Vishnu Vinod, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Xavier Bartlett, Mitchell Owen, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Yash Thakur, Praveen Dubey, Harnoor Pannu, Suryansh Shedge, Pyala Avinash, Vishal Nishad.
Punjab Kings Possible Playing XI
Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer, Marcus Stoinis, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Cooper Connolly, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.
Impact Player: Vyshak Vijaykumar
ALSO READ: Delhi Capitals IPL 2026: Auction Buys, Full Squad & Playing XI
Final Squad Size, Slots & Remaining Purse
- Total squad size: 25 players (21 retained + 4 bought).
- Overseas players: 8 (Stoinis, Jansen, Omarzai, Owen, Bartlett, Ferguson, Connolly, Dwarshuis).
- Slots strength: All 25 slots filled (0 slots remaining).
- Remaining purse: 3.50Cr
ALSO READ: Kolkata Knight Riders IPL 2026: Auction Buys, Full Squad & Playing XI
Code: TOPBK
