Key takeaways
- PBKS finished 5th in 2026 after an unbeaten start of seven games was followed by six straight defeats.
- Prabhsimran Singh (510), Shreyas Iyer (498) and Cooper Connolly (491) led the batting; Arshdeep Singh took 14 wickets.
- Their home ground in Mullanpur is batting-friendly, with dew in evening games.
- Punjab traded Arshdeep Singh to Mumbai Indians for Hardik Pandya on 11 November 2026.
- This guide uses the 2026 squad; we will update it after retentions on 17 November and the December auction.
PBKS at a glance
| Captain | Shreyas Iyer |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Ricky Ponting |
| Home grounds | Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium, Mullanpur; three 2026 games in Dharamshala |
| IPL titles | None — runners-up in 2014 and 2025 |
| 2026 league stage | 5th — 7 wins, 6 losses, 1 no result, 15 points |
| 2026 top run-scorer | Prabhsimran Singh, 510 |
| 2026 top wicket-taker | Arshdeep Singh, 14 (since traded to Mumbai Indians) |
The 2026 season in brief
Punjab topped the 2025 league table and reached the final, losing to RCB. In 2026 they began with six wins and a washout from their first seven games — then lost six in a row — to Rajasthan, Gujarat, Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai and RCB — before a final-day win over Lucknow. They finished 5th, one point outside the top four.
The squad changed little from 2025: Cooper Connolly and Ben Dwarshuis were the main overseas additions at the auction.
Squad by role (2026)
| Role | Players |
|---|---|
| Batters | Shreyas Iyer (c), Priyansh Arya, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Vishnu Vinod |
| Wicket-keeper | Prabhsimran Singh |
| All-rounders | Marcus Stoinis (overseas), Cooper Connolly (overseas), Azmatullah Omarzai (overseas), Mitchell Owen (overseas) |
| Pace bowlers | Arshdeep Singh (since traded), Marco Jansen (overseas), Lockie Ferguson (overseas), Xavier Bartlett (overseas), Ben Dwarshuis (overseas), Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur, Pyla Avinash, Suryansh Shedge |
| Spin bowlers | Yuzvendra Chahal, Harpreet Brar, Musheer Khan, Harnoor Singh, Praveen Dubey, Vishal Nishad |
Teams can field only a limited number of overseas players, and Punjab have eight, so several will miss out in any given match.
Changes since the season: All-rounder Hardik Pandya has joined from Mumbai Indians at ₹18 crore and Arshdeep Singh has left for Mumbai — the IPL confirmed the trade on 11 November 2026. See Hardik Pandya traded to Punjab Kings for Arshdeep Singh.
Form and numbers from 2026
| Player | Role | 2026 numbers |
|---|---|---|
| Prabhsimran Singh | Wicket-keeper batter | 510 runs |
| Shreyas Iyer | Batter (captain) | 498 runs |
| Cooper Connolly | All-rounder | 491 runs |
| Priyansh Arya | Batter | 364 runs |
| Marcus Stoinis | All-rounder | 216 runs |
| Arshdeep Singh | Pace bowler | 14 wickets |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | Spin bowler | 12 wickets |
| Marco Jansen | Pace bowler | 9 wickets |
| Vijaykumar Vyshak | Pace bowler | 9 wickets |
Two things stand out for fantasy. Three batters finished within 19 runs of each other at the top of the list, so Punjab's runs were spread — no single must-pick batter. And no Punjab bowler reached 15 wickets, which helps explain the late-season slide.
Core fantasy picks
- Prabhsimran Singh — wicket-keeper and leading run-scorer; points from catches as well as runs.
- Shreyas Iyer — 498 runs as captain; a top-order batter who faces plenty of balls.
- Hardik Pandya — new from Mumbai: a middle-order hitter and seam-bowling all-rounder (2,955 IPL runs, 82 wickets). His value depends on how many overs he bowls after injuries kept him out since IPL 2026.
- Yuzvendra Chahal — 12 wickets; a wicket-taking leg-spinner who suits slower pitches.
Value picks and differentials
- Cooper Connolly — 491 runs in his first Punjab season and bowls left-arm spin; strong all-round value.
- Priyansh Arya — 364 runs from the top order; usually cheaper than Prabhsimran and Iyer.
- Marco Jansen — left-arm pace and lower-order hitting; a two-way pick when he plays.
- Shashank Singh — a finisher; useful in matches where Punjab bat first on a flat pitch.
Always check the confirmed playing eleven and batting order after the toss.
Mullanpur: what the numbers say
The Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium in Mullanpur (New Chandigarh) is still a young IPL venue. IPL figures there (14 matches, as of late April 2026):
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Average first-innings score | 178 |
| Wins batting first / chasing | 7 / 7 |
| Highest total | 254 |
| Lowest total | 95 |
What it means for your team:
- Batting-friendly with a quick outfield — top-order batters remain the safest picks.
- Toss winners usually choose to chase, and dew can arrive in evening games; it helps seamers early but makes gripping harder later.
- Small sample. With only 14 matches, these numbers can change quickly — check how the pitch played in the most recent games there.
- Dharamshala hosted three Punjab games in 2026. It is a high-altitude ground, so check the venue for each fixture.
Full venue breakdown — records, toss trends, pace vs spin and a pre-match checklist: Mullanpur pitch report. For a general routine, see pitch and conditions.
Matchups to check before each PBKS game
- Punjab's new-ball pair. With Arshdeep gone, check who takes the new ball — Marco Jansen or an auction signing — before picking a Punjab seamer.
- Chahal against the middle order. Check how the opposition's middle-order batters have played leg-spin recently.
- Punjab's top three against early pace. Prabhsimran, Arya and Iyer carry most of the batting; a visiting new-ball bowler is a decent differential.
- Death overs and Shashank Singh. If the opposition's death bowlers have been expensive, Punjab's finishers gain value.
Where to look: player profiles and head-to-head pages on ESPNcricinfo or the official IPL site list a batter's record against each bowler and bowling type.
Captaincy in PBKS matches
- At Mullanpur: Prabhsimran Singh or Shreyas Iyer.
- On slower pitches: Chahal, or Cooper Connolly for two ways to score.
- In mega contests: Connolly or Marco Jansen can separate you from teams captained by the openers.
More on choosing: captain and vice-captain.
Recent head-to-head (2025–2026)
Punjab's results against the other nine teams over the last two seasons, including playoffs. Washed-out games are shown as no result and not counted.
| Opponent | 2025 | 2026 | PBKS won–lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chennai Super Kings | Won, won | Won | 3–0 |
| Delhi Capitals | Lost | Won, lost | 1–2 |
| Gujarat Titans | Won | Won, lost | 2–1 |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | Won, no result | No result | 1–0 |
| Lucknow Super Giants | Won, won | Won, won | 4–0 |
| Mumbai Indians | Won, won (Qualifier 2) | Won, lost | 3–1 |
| Rajasthan Royals | Lost, won | Lost | 1–2 |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Won, lost, lost (Qualifier 1), lost (final) | Lost | 1–4 |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | Lost | Won, lost | 1–2 |
Treat these results as context, not a prediction. Punjab have won all four recent games against Lucknow and all three against Chennai, but RCB have beaten them four times in a row, including two 2025 knockout games.
What to watch before IPL 2027
- Hardik in, Arshdeep out. The IPL confirmed on 11 November that Punjab have signed Hardik Pandya from Mumbai Indians for Arshdeep Singh. PTI reports, citing an IPL source, that Shreyas Iyer stays captain — see Hardik Pandya traded to Punjab Kings for Arshdeep Singh.
- 17 November — retentions. Eight overseas players is more than Punjab can use; the choice between all-rounders (Stoinis, Connolly, Omarzai, Owen) and seamers (Jansen, Ferguson, Bartlett, Dwarshuis) shapes the team.
- 16 December — auction. With Arshdeep gone, a wicket-taking Indian seamer is Punjab's most obvious need.
- Fixtures (expected early 2027). Note how many games are at Mullanpur and how many at Dharamshala.
Sources
- IPLT20.com, Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh complete major trade between PBKS and MI, 11 November 2026 — confirmed trade and fees.
- ThePrint (PTI), MI, PBKS in talks for high-profile trade involving Hardik and Arshdeep, 3 November 2026 — Hardik–Arshdeep trade talks.
- Outlook India (citing Sportstar), Hardik Pandya to Punjab Kings? Mumbai Indians in advanced talks for massive swap, 3 November 2026 — trade talks.
- The Tribune (ANI), IPL extends deadline for retention lists to November 17, 2 November 2026 — retention deadline.
- Wikipedia, 2026 Punjab Kings season — squad, results, run and wicket tallies, auction.
- Wikipedia, 2025 Punjab Kings season — 2025 results.
- CricTracker, PBKS vs RR: IPL 2026 records and stats at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, April 2026 — updated venue figures.
- CricTracker, PBKS vs GT: IPL 2026 records and stats at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, March 2026 — venue figures and pitch notes.