Punjab Kings’ predicted XI for IPL 2026: Azmatullah Omarzai in, Cooper Connolly waiting and pace attack without Lockie Ferguson

Punjab Kings came within 6 runs of winning their first ever IPL title in 2025 and the memory of that final against RCB has shaped everything about how the franchise has approached IPL 2026.

Shreyas Iyer returns as PBKS captain after overcoming a serious spleen injury that cost him 7 kilograms in body weight and several months of rehabilitation.

He confirmed this week that he has regained the weight and is feeling stronger than ever ahead of their opener against Gujarat Titans at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium in Mullanpur on March 31.

Under Ricky Ponting's coaching the PBKS squad has built a family-like atmosphere in the pre-season camp and the combination of that unity and the hunger from last year's near miss makes PBKS one of the more motivated sides heading into the season.

Here is what the best PBKS XI looks like for IPL 2026.

IPL 2026: The batting order of Punjab Kings under Shreyas Iyer for IPL 2026

Prabhsimran Singh opens and keeps wicket with the brief to keep his strike rate above 170 in the Powerplay.

Priyansh Arya opens alongside him from the left side. He scored a century against CSK last season and brings the kind of aggressive left-handed intent that forces opposition captains to reshuffle their bowling plans from the first over.

Shreyas Iyer comes in at three as PBKS captain and anchor. Fully fit and tactically sharp he is the player who holds the innings together and manages the field through the middle phase.

Nehal Wadhera at four is excellent at manipulating the field during the middle overs and gives the innings a different kind of momentum to the aggressive openers ahead of him.

Marcus Stoinis at five is the primary overseas finisher and sixth bowling option. His ability to hit in the death overs and contribute two to three overs of pace makes him one of the most valuable all-rounders in the competition.

Azmatullah Omarzai comes in at six. The ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year 2024 brings elite swing bowling and genuine power hitting lower down the order and his inclusion gives PBKS a third overseas all-rounder that most teams cannot match.

Shashank Singh at seven is the designated finisher who won Punjab multiple games in both 2024 and 2025 with his ability to deliver in the clutch moments that decide matches.

Also READ: IPL 2026: Punjab Kings have unfinished business and 18 years of history standing in their way

IPL 2026: The bowling attack of PBKS without Lockie Ferguson and Cooper Connolly wildcard

Marco Jansen at eight is the Powerplay wicket-taker whose steep bounce makes him difficult to handle with the new ball.

Harpreet Brar at nine is the squeeze specialist who is hard to score against on any surface and gives Iyer a reliable option through the middle overs.

Yuzvendra Chahal at ten is the lead wicket-taker and PBKS's primary weapon in the middle overs. After giving up alcohol and working on his fitness over the off-season he arrives at IPL 2026 in the best physical shape he has been in for years.

Arshdeep Singh at eleven is India's T20 death specialist and the leader of this entire bowling unit. The pressure of the 30000-strong home crowd at Mullanpur is something he has spoken about as a privilege rather than a burden and that mindset sets the tone for the whole group.

The Impact Player slot for PBKS comes down to three options. Vijaykumar Vyshak is the primary choice bringing knuckleball variations and hit-the-deck pace to replace Lockie Ferguson's heavy lengths.

Xavier Bartlett is the alternative if the pitch has early moisture giving PBKS a fourth overseas option who can move the ball alongside Arshdeep and Jansen. Musheer Khan is the batting insurance if the top order collapses early.

The wildcard in the PBKS setup is Cooper Connolly. Signed for Rs 3 crore he provides a left-arm orthodox spin option that pairs beautifully with Brar and Chahal on turning tracks giving Iyer 12 overs of elite spin.

He also toured India with Australia A in late 2025 and trained at the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai meaning he already understands what Indian surfaces offer.

Ponting has spoken about him as a flexible option anywhere from three to seven and his big-game temperament from BBL cricket makes him exactly the kind of player a franchise chasing its first title wants available off the bench.

PBKS predicted XI for IPL 2026:

Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh.

Impact Player: Vijaykumar Vyshak or Xavier Bartlett depending on conditions.

Punjab Kings' squad for IPL 2026:

Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, Harnoor Pannu, Pyla Avinash, Shashank Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur, Xavier Bartlett, Lockie Ferguson, Pravin Dubey, Vishal Nishad, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Priyansh Arya, Musheer Khan, Suryansh Shedge, Mitch Owen, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Vishnu Vinod, Prabhsimran Singh