Punjab Kings (PBKS) have signed Australian batter Mitchell Owen as a replacement for Glenn Maxwell, who has been ruled out of the ongoing IPL 2025 due to a fractured finger. Owen, currently representing Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), will join the IPL franchise once his commitments in Pakistan conclude.
According to ESPNcricinfo, Owen will travel to India after Zalmi’s campaign ends. Zalmi are currently fifth in the PSL standings and will play their final group-stage match on May 9. Should the team qualify for the playoffs, Owen may remain in Pakistan until May 18, which is after PBKS’ last league match but before the IPL playoffs.
Owen, 23, rose to prominence in the recent Big Bash League (BBL) season, finishing as the top run-scorer and helping Hobart Hurricanes clinch the title. He scored a blistering 108 off just 42 balls in the final and ended the season with 452 runs from 11 innings at an average of 45.20 and a strike rate of 203.60.
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A versatile cricketer, Owen also bowls medium pace and has taken 10 wickets in 20 T20 innings. He has featured in both the SA20 and PSL this year, and his progress has been closely followed by PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting, who also serves as head of strategy for the Hurricanes in the BBL.
Owen joined Zalmi in place of Corbin Bosch, who withdrew from the PSL to join Mumbai Indians as a replacement for the injured Lizaad Williams. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) later issued Bosch a one-year ban for breaching his contract.
In a public apology, Bosch expressed regret for his decision and extended apologies to Zalmi fans and the wider cricket community.
