Punjab Kings have released Glenn Maxwell ahead of the IPL 2026 season. The Australian all-rounder was one of six players released after a poor season in 2025.
Maxwell scored just 48 runs in six innings last season. His pass percentage was below 100, which made it difficult for PBKS to support him for another year. This was disappointing for the fans as he had returned to the team in 2025 after four years at RCB.
His best memories at PBKS still come from 2014, when he hit a record 187 and helped the team reach the IPL final. That season made him a fan favorite in Punjab. But the comeback didn’t happen the same way in 2025.
Head coach Ricky Ponting said the decision was about team balance.
“I love Glenn and what he brings to the game. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to get the best out of him last year. Looking ahead, we didn’t feel he would be part of our starting team, which is why we decided to release him,” said Ponting.
PBKS now has a purse of Rs 11.5 crore and has four open slots for the December mini-auction. The team is expected to look for a power hitter and possibly a foreign all-rounder to fill the gap.
Other players released include Josh Inglis, Aaron Hardie, Kuldeep Sen and Praveen Dubey. All struggled for playing time or impact in the 2025 season.
This move signals a new push from PBKS to rebuild their middle order. Management wants to form a stable core in the coming years. Fans will now wait to see who the team targets in the auction and how they plan to reshape their batting line-up.
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