Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan Punjab Kings (PBKS) have named their probable playing XII ahead of the start of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. In his probable XI, Pathan continues to open with Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh, following on from his contributions last time where he guided PBKS to their second IPL chase.
The 41-year-old picked Australia's Mitchell Owen in his squad as he looks forward to playing his first full season in the IPL. The 24-year-old rose to prominence during the 2024-25 Big Bash League, where he scored 452 runs at a strike rate of 203.60 for the eventual champions Hobart Hurricanes. Pathan kept him at number three but suggested that he may change his position with captain Shreyas Iyer depending on the current situation.
Irfan said in a video on his YouTube channel, “At number three and four, you can rotate Mitchell Owen and Shreyas Iyer. You decide who to send against fast bowling and who to send against spin. You can make these changes depending on the pitch and the strategy of the opposing team.”
Pathan also talked a lot PBKS Lower-order batsman Shashank Singh was given the role of finisher by keeping him at number seven in his probable eleven. He scored 350 runs in 2025 at an average of 50 and a strike rate of 153.50 and established himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet for Punjab.
“The way Shashank has been batting for some time now, and especially his performance last year, he played a vital role and contributed significantly to Punjab's success. Of course, we talk about players who score 500-600 runs, like Prabhasimran, Shreyas Iyer or Priyansh Arya,” the 41-year-old said.
“But the runs that Shashank scored, almost 350, were equally important because he came in different circumstances and situations where confidence was important. At times, you may fail while attempting big shots, but Shashank's confidence keeps him going. If he performs like this this season, we can see him playing big cricket in the future,” the former PBKS all-rounder concluded.
PBKS begin their 2026 IPL campaign with a home game against Gujarat Titans on Tuesday, March 31 at the Maharaja Yadvendra Singh International Stadium, New Chandigarh.
Irfan Pathan's probable twelfth for PBKS
Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wicketkeeper), Mitchell Owen, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank SinghMarco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Lockie Ferguson / Ben Dwarshuis.
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