Written By: Shreya Patil
Published: January 27, 2026

Punjab Kings hold a special place in IPL history. The franchise joined the league in its inaugural season and has never missed a year since 2008. Known for their bold approach to cricket, they entertain fans with attacking play.

The 2025 season marked a turning point for Punjab Kings. After years of disappointment, they finished first in the league stage and advanced to the final. They faced Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the title clash but fell short by just six runs. It was a painful loss, yet it showed the team’s growth.

As IPL 2026 approaches, this article explores the Punjab Kings squad, ownership structure, key players, and important records from their 18-year IPL journey.

Punjab Kings – Owners

KPH Dream Cricket Private Limited owns Punjab Kings. Four co-owners run the franchise together. Mohit Burman, a businessman from the Dabur Group, holds a 46% stake in the ownership. Bollywood actress Preity Zinta owns 23% and brings star power to the team. Ness Wadia from the Wadia Group also owns 23%. Karan Paul, chairman of the Apeejay Surrendra Group, holds the remaining 8%.

Punjab Kings - Owners
Source: Moneycontrol

The group paid $76 million to acquire the franchise in 2008. Since then, they have focused on developing young talent and growing the brand. The franchise also owns the Saint Lucia Kings in the Caribbean Premier League. Their long-term vision aims to create a winning culture at Punjab Kings.

Punjab Kings Squad For IPL 2026

Captain Shreyas Iyer leads Punjab Kings for the second straight season. The team kept most of its core players from the successful 2025 campaign. Ricky Ponting continues as head coach, bringing experience and tactical wisdom to the squad.

Punjab Kings Squad For IPL 2026
Source: myKhel
RolePlayers
BattersShreyas Iyer (c), Harnoor Pannu, Mitchell Owen, Nehal Wadhera, Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Pyla Avinash, Shashank Singh
WicketkeepersPrabhsimran Singh, Vishnu Vinod
All-roundersCooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Marcus Stoinis, Musheer Khan, Suryansh Shedge
BowlersPraveen Dubey, Vishal Nishad, Arshdeep Singh, Lockie Ferguson, Harpreet Brar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Yash Thakur, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak

Key Players For PBKS in IPL 2026

Punjab Kings rely on several match-winners in their squad. These players bring experience, skill, and the ability to change games.

PlayerRole
Marco JansenLeft-arm fast bowler who strikes early and contributes with the bat
Shreyas IyerTeam captain who anchors the batting and reads the game well
Marcus StoinisHard-hitting all-rounder who delivers with both bat and ball
Yuzvendra ChahalWily leg-spinner who takes key wickets in crucial phases
Azmatullah OmarzaiVersatile Afghan all-rounder who strengthens the middle order

Punjab Kings Records (IPL 2008-2025)

Punjab Kings have competed in all 18 IPL seasons. They reached two finals but lost both. Still, they have produced many memorable moments. Here are their key records.

1. IPL Standings Every Year

IPL EditionStandingResult
20251stRunners-up
20249thLeague stage
20238thLeague stage
20226thLeague stage
20216thLeague stage
20206thLeague stage
20196thLeague stage
20187thLeague stage
20175thLeague stage
20168thLeague stage
20158thLeague stage
20141stRunners-up
20136thLeague stage
20126thLeague stage
20115thLeague stage
20108thLeague stage
20095thLeague stage
20082ndPlayoffs

2. Most Runs For PBKS

PlayerSpanMatchesRuns
KL Rahul2018-2021552548
Shaun Marsh2008-2017712477
David Miller2012-2019841974
Mayank Agarwal2018-2022601513
Glenn Maxwell2014-2025771431

3. Most Wickets For PBKS

PlayerSpanMatchesWickets
Arshdeep Singh2019-20258297
Piyush Chawla2008-20138784
Sandeep Sharma2013-20226173
Axar Patel2014-20187369
Mohammed Shami2019-20214258

4. Highest Individual Score For PBKS

PlayerScoreOppositionDateVenue
KL Rahul132*RCB24 Sep 2020Dubai
Virender Sehwag122CSK30 May 2014Mumbai
Paul Valthaty120*CSK13 Apr 2011Mohali
Wriddhiman Saha115*KKR01 Jun 2014Bengaluru
Shaun Marsh115RR28 May 2008Mohali

5. Best Bowling Figures for PBKS

PlayerFiguresOppositionDateVenue
Ankit Rajpoot5/14SRH26 Apr 2018Hyderabad
Dimitri Mascarenhas5/25PWI12 Apr 2012Mohali
Arshdeep Singh5/32RR21 Sep 2021Dubai
Sam Curran4/11DC01 Apr 2019Mohali
Lakshmipathy Balaji4/13SRH22 Apr 2014Sharjah

6. Highest Totals

TotalOppositionDateVenue
262/2KKR26 Apr 2024Kolkata
245/6SRH12 Apr 2025Hyderabad
243/5GT25 Mar 2025Ahmedabad
236/5LSG04 May 2025Dharamsala
232/2RCB17 May 2011Dharamsala

7. Lowest Totals

TotalOppositionDateVenue
73RPS14 May 2017Pune
88RCB14 May 2018Indore
88RCB06 May 2015Bengaluru
92/8CSK20 May 2009Durban
95/9CSK25 Apr 2015Chennai

Punjab Kings’ IPL Journey – Fighting for 1st IPL Title

Punjab Kings started their IPL journey in 2008 with a strong debut. They reached the playoffs in year one and captured fans with their fearless cricket. Stars like Adam Gilchrist and Yuvraj Singh wore the Punjab jersey in those early days.

Punjab Kings' IPL Journey - Fighting for 1st IPL Title
Source: InsideSport

The 2014 season brought their best performance until recently. They topped the league table under George Bailey’s captaincy. Glenn Maxwell and Virender Sehwag powered the batting. However, they lost the final to Kolkata Knight Riders and had to wait for another chance.

The franchise rebranded from Kings XI Punjab to Punjab Kings in 2021. They wanted a fresh identity and a new beginning. The team struggled initially but found the right combination in 2025 under Shreyas Iyer and Ricky Ponting.

Punjab Kings now look ahead to IPL 2026 with belief and determination. They came within six runs of their first title. The squad remains hungry and aims to finish the job this time.

About the Author

Shreya Patil is a Mumbai-based documentary photographer turned cricket storyteller. Having covered local leagues through her lens, she now writes feature pieces at WPLeague, capturing the human side of women’s cricket beyond the boundary ropes.

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