Punjab Kings (PBKS) had a very good start in IPL 2027, winning six games out of their first seven matches. However, they lost the plot in the second half of the tournament, finishing 5th on the points table with just one win in their last seven games.
Shreyas Iyer and co. have a settled core in Punjab Kings, but as IPL 2027 draws closer, Punjab Kings may make important squad adjustments before the mini-auction. Below are three players PBKS could release in order to improve their balance and purse.
Here are the 3 players PBKS could release before the IPL 2027 mini-auction:
3. Mitchell Owen
Mitchell Owen was bought by the Punjab Kings for INR 3 crores but managed only one game in the IPL 2026. He played two balls and couldn’t open his account. Owen has a very good record in T20S, with 1813 runs and 45 wickets in 96 games, including the best score of 155 in the BBL final last year. Owen might not get retained, as PBKS has a settled core with main players, and he might not get a chance to play.
2. Ben Dwarshuis
Another Australian, Ben Dwarshuis might not be retained by Punjab Kings for IPL 2027. Dwarshuis played just one game in IPL 2026, giving away 51 runs and picking one wicket. Dwarshuis has vast experience in T20S, taking 258 wickets in 201 games, at an economy of 8.34 with the best bowling figures of 5/21. However, with the likes of Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, and Vijaykumar Vyshak in their ranks, PBKS might not retain Dwarshuis.
1. Lockie Ferguson
New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson played three games for PBKS in IPL 2026 but managed only one wicket at an economy of 12.81. With Marco Jansen getting in good form, PBKS might be enticed to retain him over Lockie Ferguson. Ferguson, despite bringing in pace, has a dicey fitness record, and with him being 35 years old, PBKS might want to free up money and look for a younger pacer in the IPL 2027 auction. Punjab Kings will want to ensure a good bowling department given that they failed to defend 260-plus runs in an IPL 2026 game against Delhi Capitals.
