Irfan Pathan Reveals Punjab Kings' Ideal XI for IPL 2026 Season
Irfan Pathan's Suggested Lineup for Punjab Kings
Irfan Pathan, the former Indian all-rounder, has put forth his recommendations for the Punjab Kings (PBKS) lineup ahead of the IPL 2026 season. Notably, he has chosen to exclude the emerging Australian all-rounder Cooper Connolly, while advocating for a rotation between Australian talent Mitchell Owen and captain Shreyas Iyer in the third and fourth batting positions.
Opening Pair and Key Players
The PBKS, who finished as runners-up in 2025, will kick off their IPL 2026 journey against the Gujarat Titans (GT) on March 31 in New Chandigarh. Pathan, speaking on his YouTube channel, recommended maintaining the opening duo of Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh, both of whom had impressive performances last season. He emphasized the importance of including Owen, a standout player from the Big Bash League (BBL) with the Hobart Hurricanes, in the top order alongside Iyer, based on the match conditions against pace and spin. Last season, Owen had limited opportunities, playing only one match where he unfortunately scored a duck.
Strategic Batting Order
Pathan elaborated on the batting strategy, suggesting, "At numbers three and four, you can alternate between Mitchell Owen and Shreyas Iyer. The decision should depend on the type of bowling faced, whether fast or spin. Adjustments can be made based on the pitch conditions and the opposing team's tactics."
He further outlined the batting order to include Nehal Wadhera, Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis, and finisher Shashank Singh, highlighting the significance of Shashank's contributions last season. Pathan noted that if Shashank continues his form, he could be on the path to playing significant cricket in the future.
Recognition for Shashank Singh
Pathan praised Shashank Singh's recent performances, stating, "His batting has been impressive, especially last season where he played a vital role in Punjab's achievements. While we often focus on players scoring 500-600 runs, like Prabhsimran, Shreyas Iyer, or Priyansh Arya, Shashank's 350 runs were equally important. He often came in at critical moments where confidence was essential. Although attempting big shots can lead to failures, Shashank's confidence propels him forward. If he maintains this level of performance, he could see himself playing at higher levels in the future."
In his two seasons with PBKS, Shashank has established himself as a reliable finisher, amassing 704 runs in 28 innings over 31 matches, averaging 46.93 with a strike rate nearing 159 and five fifties. Last season, he scored 350 runs in 14 innings, averaging 50.00 with a strike rate of 153.31, including a notable 61* in the final.
Bowling Lineup and Impact Player
For the bowling department, Pathan suggested including spinner Harpreet Brar and pacers Marco Jansen, Arshdeep Singh, Lockie Ferguson, or Australian Ben Dwarshuis. Veteran spinner Yuzvendra Chahal is proposed as the 'Impact Player'.
Reasons for Connolly's Exclusion
Pathan's decision to omit Connolly stems from his recent underwhelming performance, where he scored only 209 runs in 12 innings at an average of 19.00, with a strike rate close to 140 in the previous BBL season. Connolly's batting statistics saw a significant drop from 351 runs in 10 innings at an average of 50.14 with a strike rate above 131 in the 2024/25 season. His impact during Australia's group stage exit in the T20 World Cup was minimal, with just 14 runs in two innings and no wickets.
Irfan Pathan's Proposed PBKS XI
Pathan's suggested lineup for PBKS includes: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Mitchell Owen, Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Lockie Ferguson / Ben Dwarshuis. Impact Player: Yuzvendra Chahal.
Complete Punjab Kings Squad for IPL 2026
The full squad for Punjab Kings in IPL 2026 consists of: Arshdeep Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harnoor Pannu, Harpreet Brar, Lockie Ferguson, Marco Jansen, Marcus Stoinis, Mitch Owen, Musheer Khan, Nehal Wadhera, Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Pyla Avinash, Shashank Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Suryansh Shedge, Vishnu Vinod, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Cooper Connolly (Rs 3 Cr), Pravin Dubey (Rs 30 lakh), Vishal Nishad (Rs 30 lakh), Ben Dwarshuis (Rs 4.40 Cr).