5 Punjab Kings Stars at Risk of Release Ahead of IPL 2026

Punjab Kings stand at a crucial point and are all set for the 2026 Indian Premier League season. After a campaign that witnessed them sitting at the top of the points table with nine victories out of fourteen matches, the franchise just missed its first IPL title as it was defeated by Royal Challengers Bengaluru in an exciting finale at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Through the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer and the special coaching of Ricky Ponting, Punjab Kings revealed a lot of balance, trust, and regularity that had very often been their drawbacks in the past. The performance in 2025 was a turning point for the squad and they were recognized as real title challengers.

As the IPL 2026 retention and auction window is coming closer, the Punjab Kings have some hard decisions to take regarding their players’ retention and their squad fine-tuning. Even though the main line-up is still quite powerful, the management is thinking about some clever releases that would both raise the funds and give a chance to bring in some new talent. Below are five players who might be let go before the next auction:

1. Marcus Stoinis (Australia).

The all-rounder from Australia had moments when he really shone, but he was not able to keep that up throughout the season. He was bought for Rs 11 crore and when it comes to his overall contributions, they might not really go hand in hand with his price tag. Punjab might think about either trading him or setting him free so that they could use the money to get a younger all-rounder who would be able to deliver more units.

2. Lockie Ferguson (New Zealand).

In the beginning of the season, Ferguson used to show his great pace and yorkers but then he got injured and missed half of the season. Being 34 years old and having recurring fitness concerns may lead Punjab to the decision that it is time for the fast bowler to go and his Rs 2 crore salary could then be used to hire a young and strong pacer instead.

3. Suryansh Shedge (India)

The domestic player at the age of 22 had a hard time getting noticed due to limited chances and his total runs in three innings came only to seven. There is still a probability of him being a good player in the future, but Punjab might choose to invest in a more seasoned batsman for the lower-order.

4. Azmatullah Omarzai (Afghanistan)

The all-rounder performance was more or less even, with the bowler taking eight wickets in eight innings and batter scoring 57 runs in five matches. The team may still want an all-rounder who is more impactful and sub-continental condition friendly, which could result in the player moving to a new place.

5. Glenn Maxwell (Australia)

Maxwell, who was the favorite among the crowd, did not manage to reach the heights of his past seasons and only made 48 runs and took four wickets in the last match. His release after the Rs 4.2 crore signing could be an indication that the team is going to change the focus of their next squad towards the youth and the shareholder's confidence in their long-term competitiveness.

The Punjab Kings management is in a difficult position where they have to consider the loyalty towards the current players and also think of the future at the same time. After a season that proved they are serious about challenging for the title, the team is now looking at making bold moves to finally lay their hands on the IPL trophy.