PBKS Retention List for IPL 2026: Punjab Kings came so close to winning their first ever IPL trophy in 2025, but they fell short by only six runs against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a very tense final. The loss hurt the players yet the whole season showed how much Punjab had grown as a team. Under Shreyas Iyer’s leadership, PBKS played some of their best cricket in many years and looked like a team that truly wanted the title.
IPL 2026 Release and Retention List: Lucknow Super Giants Set to Drop Several Players
A Strong 2025 Season Built on Consistency
The 2025 season turned out to be one of Punjab’s brightest years. They finished at the top of the points table and played with steady control in most matches. The team won 10 out of 17 games, and with six losses and one match that had no result, their win rate touched 63.64%. This number showed how sharp and confident the side became during the season.
Shreyas Iyer guided a squad filled with both experienced foreign names and upcoming Indian talents. The team carried Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Inglis and Marco Jansen, while young players such as Prabhsimran Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Harpreet Brar, Shashank Singh and Nehal Wadhera played huge roles in important games.
Newer faces like Xavier Bartlett, Priyansh Arya, Musheer Khan and Suryansh Shedge added fresh energy and made the team look even stronger.
Looking Back at Punjab’s IPL Journey
Punjab Kings have had a long and uneven story in the IPL. Back when the team was known as Kings XI Punjab, they enjoyed a great season in 2008 when they reached the semifinals. Another big year came in 2014 when they finished as runners-up after a powerful campaign.
But the team also faced many tough seasons where they finished in the lower half of the table. In 2021, the franchise changed its name to Punjab Kings.
Mumbai Indians IPL 2026 Squad: Predicted Release & Retention List
Full List of Players Retained by PBKS for IPL 2026
Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Shashank Singh, Pyla Avinash, Harnoor Pannu, Musheer Khan, Vishnu Vinod, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Suryansh Shedge, Mitchell Owen, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur, Xavier Bartlett, Lockie Ferguson, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harpreet Brar
Players Released by PBKS Ahead of IPL 2026 Auction
Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis, Aaron Hardie, Kuldeep Sen, Praveen DubeyAUCTION BUDGET:Rs 11.50 crore
