Irfan Pathan names two players PBKS should release ahead of IPL 2026 retention deadline

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has picked Australian all-rounder duo of Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell, that Punjab Kings should release ahead of IPL 2026 retention deadline. PBKS had qualified for the final of the previous season of the tournament but Stoinis and Maxwell had failed to come up with consistent performances.

Maxwell had failed to deliver the goods in the previous season of the tournament, managing only 48 runs in six innings at an average of eight and a strike rate of 97.95.

On the other hand, Marcus Stoinis could only take a solitary wicket in nine innings. Furthermore, the Australian scored 160 runs in 11 innings in IPL 2025 at an average of 26.67.

“Un 11 crore ko kya Stoinis ne uthara tha maidan mai performance ke zariye? 160 run banaye the. Economy bhi lagbagh 12 ke upar tha. Apne place ko justify nahi kiya. Maxwell, run nahi banaye. Bohot zyada ballebaazi mai last do saal se kuch dekhne ko mila nahi aur pichla saal bhi unka kuch khaas nahi tha injury se pehle,” he said on Star Sports.

(Did Stoinis bring the worth of those 11 crores on the ground through performance? He scoreed 160 runs. His economy was also over 12 almost. He did not justify his place. Maxwell did not score runs. In the last two years we have not seen much in his batting and even his previous season was not great before injury)

Pathan added that PBKS should have backup bowlers for Yuzvendra Chahal and Arshdeep Singh.

“Two things Punjab will have to focus on going into the auction. One, a backup spinner for Chahal. You will have to keep a backup spinner. Chahal is a match-winner, but it is better if you have someone behind him to groom as well. Second, a backup for Arshdeep. He plays cricket the whole year and is an amazing player. It is not easy to replace him but it will be better if they have a backup Indian pacer for him,” he explained.

Singh picked 21 wickets in 17 matches and thus played an instrumental role in taking the team to the final of the tournament. Chahal bagged 16 wickets in 14 games for the Mohali-based franchise.