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Punjab Kings Seek Divine Blessings as Stoinis, Connolly Join IPL 2026 Camp

The Punjab Kings franchise conducted a traditional puja at their home stadium in New Chandigarh to inaugurate their IPL 2026 campaign. The event was attended by coaching staff including head coach Ricky Ponting. The squad has been bolstered by the arrivals of Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and young talent Cooper Connolly. The team, led by Shreyas Iyer, is preparing for its season opener against the Gujarat Giants on March 31, looking to go one better after finishing as runners-up last season.

Key Points: PBKS Puja, Stoinis & Connolly Join for IPL 2026 Season

  • Pre-season puja at New Chandigarh stadium
  • Marcus Stoinis and Cooper Connolly join squad
  • Runners-up from last season
  • Home opener vs Gujarat Giants on March 31
  • Squad includes Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh
2 min read

Punjab Kings performs puja ahead of IPL 2026 season

Punjab Kings perform puja ahead of IPL 2026. Marcus Stoinis and Cooper Connolly join squad as team prepares for opener vs Gujarat Giants.

"The group sought blessings for the season ahead as the franchise gears up for what promises to be an exciting campaign - Team Release"

Chandigarh, March 25

Punjab Kings performed puja at the New International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh, ahead of the Indian Premier League 2026 season.

Head coach Ricky Ponting, spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule and wicketkeeping coach Brad Haddin were among those present. The group sought blessings for the season ahead as the franchise gears up for what promises to be an exciting campaign, according to a release.

Meanwhile, Australian stars Marcus Stoinis and Cooper Connolly have officially joined the PBKS 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 (IPL) 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, Pravin Dubey, Vishal Nishad, Ben Dwarshuis.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Good to see Ponting and the coaching staff respecting our traditions. The squad looks balanced on paper, but the real test is on the field. Last year's final loss still hurts. Need to finish the job this time!
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Aman W
Excited for the season! But honestly, I'm a bit worried about the middle order. We rely too much on Shashank Singh. Hope the new recruits like Connolly can step up. The puja is a nice touch for positive vibes.
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Sarah B
As a cricket fan living abroad, it's fascinating to see the cultural mix. A traditional Indian puja with an Australian head coach and players. That's the IPL's magic. Best of luck to PBKS!
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Vikram M
The team spirit looks high. Adding Stoinis is a big boost. But let's not forget our local talent - Arshdeep, Brar, and Prabhsimran need to have standout seasons. Jai ho Punjab Kings! 🏏
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Kriti O
Respectfully, while the puja is nice, I hope the management's focus is more on strategic planning and less on just rituals. Our death bowling and finishing have been issues for years. Need concrete plans to fix that.

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