Punjab Kings (PBKS) have signed Mitchell Owen for INR 3 crore as a replacement for injured Glenn Maxwell.
The 36-year-old Australian all-rounder was ruled out of the remaining matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 after fracturing his finger. As a result, Owen is expected to join PBKS once he completes his stint with Peshawar Zalmi in the ongoing season of PSL 2025.
Mitchell rose to prominence with his unbeaten century in the latest edition of the Big Bash League (BBL) 2024-25. His 108-run knock in the final played an essential role as Hobart Hurricanes won their maiden championship title by triumphing over Sydney Thunder by 7 wickets.
Glenn Maxwell Suffers from a Big Injury in IPL 2025
During a training session, Glenn Maxwell injured his right hand ahead of the Punjab Kings match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Sunday (April 26) at Eden Gardens. As a result, the Aussie cricketer missed out on his next match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Wednesday (April 30). And before the toss, the PBKS captain, Shreyas Iyer, clarified that a fractured finger rules him out of the season.
Maxwell, who was acquired for INR 4.2 crore during the IPL 2025 mega auction, struggled with his form in terms of batting and bowling. Out of 7 matches, he scored just 48 runs and took 4 wickets.
Unfortunately, Maxwell becomes the second overseas cricketer to end the current edition of IPL abruptly after New Zealand’s pacer Lockie Ferguson’s leg injury in the previous month.
Mitchell Owen to Join PBKS Before IPL 2025 Playoffs
It is understood that Mitchell Owen might travel to India after the completion of Peshawar Zalmi’s season in PSL 2025. Currently, the Babar Azam-led team ranks in fifth out of sixth position in the points table and will play its last match of the group stage on Friday (May 09).
Suppose Zalmi qualifies for the playoffs, then Owen’s commitments with the franchise might continue till the final on May 18. This is exactly two days after Punjab Kings would complete its group stage fixture against Rajasthan Royals (on May 16) before the commencement of the knockouts.
At the same time, there are chances for the 23-year-old Australian cricketer to join PBKS ahead of its clash against Mumbai Indians in the 61st match of IPL 2025 on May 11. This could only be possible if Peshawar Zalmi fails to secure its spot in the top four by losing any one of its two upcoming games on May 05 and May 09, respectively.
Even though Mitchell wasn’t shortlisted in the IPL 2025 mega auction, he was eligible to be appointed by the franchise as a replacement player.
Will Mitchell Owen Be Banned from PSL 2025?
There are no chances for Mitchell Owen to be banned from PSL 2025 unless he leaves the tournament midway. However, his IPL debut might be delayed if Zalmi qualifies for the playoffs, as he might be able to join the Kings only after May 18. In such conditions, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) won’t take any strict action on him unless he withdraws from his commitments.
Moreover, the franchise selected him as a replacement for Corbin Bosch, who snubbed his PSL contract to join with the IPL franchise Mumbai Indians (MI) to replace the injured South African pacer Lizaad Williams. Unfortunately, the 30-year-old South African all-rounder was banned from the league for one year after receiving a legal notice from the PCB.
Mitchell Owen’s Performance in PSL 2025
So far, Owen batted in six matches of PSL 2025 and scored 106 runs, averaging at 16.83 and an impressive strike rate of 198.04. Here is how the right-handed batter performed against these opponent teams:
| Opponent Team | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate |
| Quetta Gladiators (QG) | 31 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 238.46 |
| Islamabad United (IU) | 10 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 142.85 |
| Multan Sultan (MS) | 34 | 15 | 1 | 4 | 226.66 |
| Karachi Kings (KK) | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 83.33 |
| Quetta Gladiators (QG) | 15 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 187.50 |
| Islamabad United (IU) | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 300.00 |
Owen’s Heroic Knock in BBL 2024-25 Final
Chasing a 183 target, Mitchell Owen scored a fabulous 108 runs by facing just 42 deliveries that included 6 fours and 11 sixes. The Hobart Hurricanes opener batted at a strike rate of 257.14 and led the chase from the front. As a result, the Hurricanes won the final match by 7 wickets and 53 balls to spare.
Interestingly, Owen scored the joint fastest century in just 39 balls and equalled Craig Simmons’ record, who scored a 39-ball ton back in BBL 03.
Also Read: Ashwani Kumar – All You Need To Know About 23 Year Old Left-Arm Pacer | Mumbai Indians
Final Opinion
Even though Owen hasn’t been impressive with his performance in PSL 2025, his outstanding performance in BBL helps him gain entry into the Punjab Kings squad.
Currently, the Kings are actively hunting for a spot in the playoffs and have secured their rankings in the top four positions of the points table with 15 points and +0.376 net-run-rate (NRR). Overall, the franchise is hoping for the Aussie all-rounder to join the team at the earliest, so that his valuable contributions in the playing XI could further improve their playoff chances.
