PBKS Released Players 2026: Five Players Likely to Be Dropped (ft. Marcus Stoinis)

Punjab Kings dream of bringing home the IPL cup fell short again as Royal Challengers Bangalore defended a target of 191 runs. Despite a steady start from Prabhsimran Singh and Josh Inglis wickets kept falling in clusters. Shashank Singh’s unbeaten 50 was not enough as key players like Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis and Azmatullah Omarzai failed to build partnerships. RCB finally ended their 18-year wait for the IPL title. In this article, we will cover PBKS released players 2026 and how the team plans to rebuild for the upcoming season.

Top 5 PBKS Released Players 2026

1. Marcus Stoinis

Punjab Kings signed Marcus Stoinis for ₹11 crore ahead of IPL 2025. He played regularly and scored a total of 160 runs in 13 innings with a highest score of 44* against Delhi Capitals. While his batting had some useful contributions, he didn’t have many big scores. With the ball, he took just 1 wicket in the matches he played giving away runs without much impact. Considering his high price and limited all-round contributions, he is expected to be part of the PBKS released players 2026 list.

2. Glenn Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell was picked up by Punjab Kings for ₹4.20 crore but didn’t do much before a finger injury cut his season short. He managed just 55 runs in total, with a top score of 30 against Rajasthan Royals. Against teams like Sunrisers Hyderabad and KKR, he couldn’t get going — managing just 3 and 7 runs in those games. He took 4 wickets but was a bit expensive with the ball. With the injury and uneven form, he’s likely to be on the PBKS released players 2026 list. 

3. Azmatullah Omarzai

Azmatullah Omarzai was signed by Punjab Kings for ₹2.60 crore in IPL 2025. He scored just 57 runs in total, with his best knock being an unbeaten 21 against Rajasthan Royals. With the ball, he picked up 8 wickets, but in a few games, he went for too many runs. He had a couple of decent moments, but overall, his season was up and down. With Punjab likely to make some changes, Omarzai might be one of the names in the PBKS released players 2026 list.

4. Yash Thakur

Yash Thakur was signed by Punjab Kings for ₹1.60 crore, but he didn’t really get much of a chance in IPL 2025. He played just two matches and didn’t have a big impact — going wicketless against SRH and picking up 1 for 39 against CSK. With such a quiet season, he might be one of the names on the PBKS released players 2026 list as the team looks to try out new options.

5. Aaron Hardie

Aaron Hardie was bought by Punjab Kings for ₹1.20 crore, but he didn’t get to play even one match in IPL 2025. Since he didn’t get any game time, the team might decide to let him go. He could be part of the PBKS released players 2026 list as Punjab looks to make some changes.

ALSO READ: RCB Released Players 2026: Five Players Likely to Be Dropped (ft. Livingstone)