Strongest PBKS playing XI for IPL 2026
Last year, after an 18-year-long drought, RCB finally won their first IPL title. But that victory was cut short by another year for the Punjab Kings, who lost the final match by just six runs. The IPL 2025 runners-up will now look to put last year's failure behind them and win their first title this year. The team looks strong on paper, and if its players play to their potential, PBKS's title wait could be over this year.
In the IPL 2026 auction, PBKS signed just four players: overseas capped players Cooper Connolly and Ben Dwarshuis, along with uncapped Indian players Vishal Nishad and Pravin Dubey.
Shreyas Iyer will once again lead the side. Shreyas Iyer is slowly becoming one of the most successful IPL captains. He has captained the Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Punjab Kings. While Delhi and Punjab reached the final under his captaincy, he led KKR to the title in 2024.
Punjab Kings have a balanced side. Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh will once again open for this team. While skipper Shreyas Iyer will bat at 3. After this, the team has destructive middle-order & lower-order batters as Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Mitchell Owen, Marcus Stoinis, Cooper Connolly, and Azmatullah Omarzai.
Punjab Kings' claim to win IPL 2026 is also looking strong because the team has a formidable bowling attack, which even many big teams are missing. PBKS's fast bowling line-up has experienced T20 specialist bowlers like Arshdeep Singh, Marco Janse, Xavier Bartlett, Lockie Ferguson, Ben Dwarshuis, and Yash Thakur, while the responsibility of the spin department will be on the shoulders of Yuzvendra Chahal and Harpreet Brar. The team also has spin bowling all-rounders like Praveen Dubey and Vishnu Vinod.
Punjab Kings will start their IPL 2026 campaign against the Gujarat Titans on March 31 at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, which is also PBKS home ground for the tournament. Then, Shreyas Iyer & co. will fly to the MA Chidambaram Stadium to take on the Chennai Super Kings on April 3. Following this, they will face the Kolkata Knight Riders on April 6 at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. After this, they will play against the Sunrisers Hyderabad at their home ground on April 11.
Looking at Punjab Kings on paper, it can be said that this team has the potential to reach the top 4 once again, and if luck favours this team, then Preity Zinta-owned Punjab Kings may finally get their first IPL title this year.
Strongest PBKS playing XI
Priyansh Arya
Prabsimran Singh (wk)
Shreyas Iyer ©
Azmatullah Omarzai (✈)
Marcus Stoinis (✈)
Shashank Singh
Nehal Wadhera — Impact player
Marco Jansen (✈)
Lockie Ferguson (✈)
Harpreet Brar
Arshdeep Singh
Yuzvendra Chahal
