Led by KL Rahul, the rebranded Punjab side will begin their 2021 IPL campaign on April 12 against the Rajasthan Royals in Mumbai.
With less than six months from the end of the last season, a new edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is here. Punjab Kings, the team with the new name, new jersey and new logo, who had a middling performance last year, would be looking to rectify their mistakes of last year.
With the addition of players like Jhye Richardson, Shahrukh Khan, Dawid Malan, Moises Henriques, Fabian Allen and Jalaj Saxena, the Kings have surely filled the gaps in their team and now will be looking to go all the way for their maiden title.
While the Punjab-based franchise let go off some of their big-money players like Glenn Maxwell, Sheldon Cottrell, Jimmy Neesham as they had the biggest purse amongst the eight teams before the auction.
Lets's look at the whole squad of the Punjab Kings:
1. Punjab Kings
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Retained players: KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran, Mandeep Singh, Sarfraz Khan, Mohammad Shami, Murugan Ashwin, Arshdeep Singh, Harpreet Brar, Darshan Nalkande, Deepak Hooda, Ishan Porel, Ravi Bishnoi, Prabhsimran Singh, Chris Jordan.
Released players: Glenn Maxwell, Karun Nair, Hardus Viljoen, Jagadeesha Suchith, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Sheldon Cottrell, Jimmy Neesham, Krishnappa Gowtham, Tajinder Singh.
New Additions: Dawid Malan, Jhye Richardson, Riley Meredith, Moises Henriques, Fabian Allen, Shahrukh Khan, Jalaj Saxena, Saurabh Kumar, Utkarsh Singh.
2. KL Rahul
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'Captain Punjab' as the franchise's social media team likes to call him had a fantastic season with the bat, however, not so much as the captain of the side in the 2020 season. It was his first season as a captain and the team had won only one game in the first seven matches. They needed to win six out of the next seven but could win only five and they couldn't qualify.
However, Rahul the batsman won the orange cap as he scored 670 runs in 14 games averaging 55.83 with five half-centuries and one hundred with the best of 132* against the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
3. Mayank Agarwal
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Rahul's partner-in-crime was Mayank Agarwal, who finally brought his domestic white-ball form on the IPL stage in the last season. Termed as a 'kitty party' player because of scoring cute little 30s and 40s but not being able to continue after that, Mayank finally shredded off that image as he scored a couple of fifties and his maiden IPL hundred.
Mayank ended up scoring 424 runs in 11 games he played at an average of 38.5, striking at 156.45.
4. Chris Gayle
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The 'Universe' Boss didn't feature in the first half of the IPL 2020. He started playing from his side's eighth game and no one knew if it was coincidence or just the lift he gave to the Punjab side, the left-hander helped his team win five games in a row in which he featured in all of them.
Gayle scored 288 runs in the seven games he played, batting at No 3, including three half-centuries at an average of 41. In just seven games, the 41-year old hit 23 sixes.
5. Nicholas Pooran
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Pooran was one of the stars for the Punjab side in the last season. Pooran, who was first seen as the replacement for Chris Gayle established his position as the most important player in the side with his belligerent hitting and became undroppable.
In the 14 games he played, Pooran amassed 353 runs smashing at a strike-rate of 169.71. Pooran smashed 25 sixes and won a couple of games for the side on his own.
6. Mohammed Shami
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Another star for the Punjab side was their pace spearhead Mohammed Shami. Whether the wickets were needed, or a quiet over was required, it was Shami who was called upon by the captain every time.
Shami took 20 wickets in 14 games he played at an average of 23 with an economy of 8.57. Shami led the attack as he bowled some tough overs and provided important breakthroughs for his side whenever they were in need of one.
7. Chris Jordan
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Shami's partner at the other end was England's T20 specialist Chris Jordan. Jordan had an indifferent start to his debut season with the Punjab side as he was taken to the cleaners by the Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings in a couple of games. However, in the last seven games along with Gayle, Jordan was the second Chris who revived Punjab's campaign in the second half.
Jordan took nine wickets in as many games as he starred in a couple of wins for his side, one against the Sunrisers Hyderabad where they defended a paltry score of 126 runs and other one the double super over game against Mumbai Indians.
8. Ravi Bishnoi
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The 20-year old leg-spinner was the star born in the 2020 season of the IPL for Punjab Kings. Bishnoi formed a lethal partnership with fellow leggie Murugan Ashwin as they bamboozled the opposition and the youngster impressed one and all with his temperament and consistency.
Bishnoi played all 14 games for his side and took 12 wickets, giving runs at just 7.37 economy.
9. Arshdeep Singh
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The lanky left-arm pacer was the other youngster unearthed by the Punjab side in the last season. The 20-year old didn't play all the games but showed what he is capable of in the eight games he did play in.
With his accuracy and variation in pace, Arshdeep Singh took 9 wickets, going at 8.77 per over.
10. Dawid Malan
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The newest recruit of the Punjab side is the No 1 T20 batsman in the world, Dawid Malan. Malan, who has taken the world by the storm at the international stage in the shortest format will be playing his debut season in the IPL.
Malan average 50 in the 24 games he has played for England at the highest level at a strike rate of 144. The 33-year old, who recently made his BBL debut with the Hobart Hurricanes will be raring to go in one of the best T20 tournaments in the world after he was picked by the Punjab Kings in the auction at his base price of INR 1.5 crore.
