New Delhi, March 26 -- Punjab Kings enter IPL 2026 as last season's runners-up, under head coach Ricky Ponting. After topping the league table in IPL 2025 with 9 wins and losing the final to RCB by just 6 runs, that heartbreak fuels everything this season.

Shreyas Iyer returns as captain after overcoming a serious spleen injury that cost him 7kg in body weight. He confirmed he had regained the weight. He is feeling stronger than ever, he said.

PBKS start their campaign against the Gujarat Titans on 31 March at the new Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium in Mullanpur.

PBKS retained 21 players, released Glenn Maxwell and Josh Inglis and signed Cooper Connolly and Ben Dwarshuis at the mini-auction. The squad now has 25 players and looks set...