IPL 2025: Punjab Kings Rope in Australian All-Rounder from PSL as Maxwell’s Replacement

In a surprising move, Punjab Kings have brought in an uncapped Australian all-rounder to replace the injured Glenn Maxwell for the IPL 2025 season. The franchise has signed Mitchell Owen, a 23-year-old talent currently showcasing his skills in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) with Peshawar Zalmi, a team led by Babar Azam. Owen has been a consistent performer in the ongoing PSL season, featuring in the playing XI for all seven matches played by his team so far.Due to his PSL commitments, Owen will only join Punjab Kings after the league’s final, scheduled for May 18, 2025. This means he is likely to be available for the IPL playoffs, provided Punjab Kings secure a spot, which remains uncertain at this stage.Mitchell Owen has made waves in the T20 circuit, particularly in Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL), where he played a pivotal role in Hobart Hurricanes’ maiden title triumph this year. In the BBL final, Owen smashed a breathtaking 108 runs off just 42 balls at a strike rate of 257, including 10 sixes and 5 fours, guiding his team to chase down Sydney’s 183-run target in a mere 14.1 overs. Over the BBL season, he topped the run charts with 452 runs in 11 innings, boasting an average of 45 and a strike rate of 203. In his T20 career, spanning 34 matches, Owen has scored 646 runs at an average of 25.84, with two centuries, and has also claimed 10 wickets with his bowling.Punjab Kings invested 3 crore rupees to secure Owen’s services, banking on his explosive batting and handy bowling to fill the void left by Maxwell. Fans are eager to see if this dynamic all-rounder can replicate his BBL heroics in the IPL and help Punjab Kings make a strong push in the 2025 season.