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Stoinis & Connolly Join Punjab Kings, Boost IPL 2026 Title Hopes

Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and young batter Cooper Connolly have arrived in Mohali to join the Punjab Kings squad for the upcoming IPL season. The team, which finished as runners-up in IPL 2026, is intensifying its preparations for the home opener against the Gujarat Giants on March 31. Last season, the Shreyas Iyer-led side fell just six runs short against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a thrilling final. The new arrivals are expected to bring a blend of international experience and youthful energy to the camp.

Key Points: Punjab Kings Welcome Stoinis, Connolly for IPL 2026 Campaign

  • Australian duo joins squad in Mohali
  • Kings were runners-up last season
  • Season opener vs Gujarat Giants on March 31
  • Squad features mix of experience and youth
2 min read

Australian duo Marcus Stoinis, Cooper Connolly join Punjab Kings squad in Mohali

Australian stars Marcus Stoinis and Cooper Connolly join Punjab Kings in Mohali, adding firepower to the squad ahead of the IPL 2026 season opener.

"Their arrival adds massive firepower to the Punjab Kings lineup - Official Release"

Chandigarh, March 25

Punjab Kings' Australian stars Marcus Stoinis and Cooper Connolly have officially joined the squad in Mohali. The duo arrived earlier on Wednesday to link up with the rest of the team as preparations enter the final stages for the upcoming Indian Premier League 2026 season.

According to a release, the players were seen in high spirits as they were welcomed at the New International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh. Their arrival adds massive firepower to the Punjab Kings lineup, bringing a strong mix of international experience and exciting youthful energy to the camp.

The Kings, who were the runners-up last season, have been training hard over the last few weeks. The squad is now gearing up for their highly anticipated season opener against the Gujarat Giants. The match will be played in front of their home crowd on March 31.

Punjab Kings, led by Shreyas Iyer reached the IPL 2026 finals, but faced a defeat at the hands of the Rajat Patidar-led Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by six runs in the summit clash.

In the IPL 2025 final, RCB scored 190 runs batting first with the help of Virat Kohli's 43 and contributions from the middle order as well. Chasing 191 for their maiden IPL title, Punjab fell short by six runs despite Shashank Singh's 30-ball 61-run knock.

Punjab Kings full squad for IPL 2026

Arshdeep Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harnoor Pannu, Harpreet Brar, Lockie Ferguson, Marco Jansen, Marcus Stoinis, Mitch Owen, Musheer Khan, Nehal Wadhera, Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Pyla Avinash, Shashank Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Suryansh Shedge, Vishnu Vinod, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Cooper Connolly (Rs 3 Cr), Pravin Dubey (Rs 30 lakh), Vishal Nishad (Rs 30 lakh), Ben Dwarshuis (Rs 4.40 Cr).

- ANI

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Reader Comments

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Priyanka N
Exciting additions! Stoinis is a proven match-winner. But I'm more curious about Cooper Connolly. For 3 Crore, he's a big investment. Hope he adapts quickly to Indian conditions. The pressure is real for foreign players here.
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Arjun K
The squad looks strong on paper, but our Indian core needs to step up. Shreyas Iyer's captaincy will be key. We can't just rely on overseas players. Last year's final showed we need better finishing under pressure. Jai ho Punjab!
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Sarah B
As an Aussie living in Delhi, it's fantastic to see our boys getting such a warm welcome in Mohali! The IPL is the best league in the world. Stoinis will love the Punjab crowd energy. Best of luck to the Kings!
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Vikram M
Respectfully, I feel the team management is focusing too much on foreign players. We have great local talent like Musheer Khan and Nehal Wadhera. They should get more chances than just being bench warmers. Support desi players!
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Kavya N
The memory of Shashank Singh's knock in the final still gives me goosebumps! So close. This year, with Stoinis' power-hitting and Chahal's experience, we can go all the way. Can't wait for March 31st! 💪

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