Punjab Kings (PBKS) are all set for the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as they gear up for their opening match against the Delhi Capitals on March 23 at home. Boasting big names, PBKS has underperformed over the years, managing to reach the final just once in 2014.
Unlike some other franchises, Punjab didn’t go for too many new players and, therefore, stayed away from bidding wars in the 2024 IPL auction. However, with a settled core, the team looks set for some success. This blog looks at the eight Punjab Kings overseas players in the IPL 2024 season.
Comprehensive List of Punjab Kings Overseas Players in IPL 2024
Punjab Kings added only two overseas players in the IPL 2024 auction. The IPL 2014 runners-up bought South Africa’s Rilee Rossouw and England pacer Chris Woakes. Here’s the full list of overseas players in Punjab Kings:
- Kagiso Rabada
- Jonny Bairstow
- Liam Livingstone
- Sam Curran
- Sikandar Raza
- Nathan Ellis
- Chris Woakes
- Rilee Rossouw
We look at each of the Punjab Kings’ overseas players closely:
Kagiso Rabada:
Undoubtedly the spearhead of the PBKS bowling attack, Kagiso Rabada has been part of the PBKS squad since the 2022 season. He reached 100 IPL wickets last season, becoming the quickest in the league history. However, he struggled with injuries, playing just six games in 2023. The South African pacer is crucial to PBKS’ hopes of ending a nine-year playoff drought.
Jonny Bairstow:
Jonny Bairstow, who had a disappointing outing in the five-match Test series against India, is the leading light in the Punjab Kings top order. The Englishman can give the ball a whack, and this ability brought him to Punjab in 2022, where he scored 253 runs in 11 matches. However, he missed the entire 2023 season after suffering a freak injury. The wicketkeeper-batter will be keen to prove his doubters wrong in the 2024 season.
Liam Livingstone:
In IPL 2022, Liam Livingstone made a lot of noise in his debut season for Punjab. Playing 14 games, he scored 437 runs, which included four fifties, with a strike rate of 182. He had a decent outing in 2023, amassing 279 runs in nine matches. PBKS retained him for the 2024 edition, which came as no surprise. The 30-year-old can also bowl off-spin.
Sam Curran:
Sam Curran, the most expensive player in PBKS history, is the main all-rounder for the franchise. His retention was on the cards after playing all games for the franchise last season. However, he struggled for consistency with the ball. Also, the all-rounder captained the franchise in a few games in Shikhar Dhawan’s absence. Curran will have to perform better this year.
Sikandar Raza:
Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza finally got his maiden IPL contract in 2023. He scored 139 runs for Punjab Kings, helping them get over the line in a few games. In 2024, he will resume his spin all-rounder duties as he can not only give a few overs in the middle but also bat big in the game’s final stages.
Nathan Ellis:
Nathan Ellis was a replacement player at PBKS after his compatriots Riley Meredith and Kane Richardson skipped the second half of IPL 2021 in UAE. He had caught the eye in the first place as he had picked up a hat-trick on his T20I debut earlier that year. Ellis played a total of five games in 2021 and 2022, respectively. The Aussie was retained and given a longer run in 2023, where he claimed 13 wickets in ten matches.
Chris Woakes:
Chris Woakes made his IPL debut for KKR in 2017. He had an excellent season, taking 17 wickets in 13 outings. But after that, it went downhill quickly. The following season, he played five games for RCB and was released before the IPL 2019 auction. Between the 2020 and 2023 seasons, Woakes played only three games in IPL. He is now back in business and will be keen to impress in PBKS colours.
Rilee Rossouw:
Rilee Rossouw is another quality overseas batter in the PBKS lineup. The 34-year-old has played 14 matches, scoring 262 runs at a strike rate of 136. He had a decent outing last season for Delhi Capitals and will be hoping for playing time at PBKS to prove he can produce the goods in the world’s best T20 league.
FAQs about Punjab Kings Overseas Players in the IPL 2024
1.Who are the Punjab Kings overseas players for 2024?
Sam Curran, Sikandar Raza, Liam Livingstone, Nathan Ellis, Kagiso Rabada, Jonny Bairstow, Chris Woakes, and Rilee Rossouw are Punjab Kings overseas players in the IPL 2024 season.
2.Who is Punjab Kings’ most expensive overseas player in the IPL 2024 auction?
Rilee Rossouw is the most expensive Punjab Kings player in the IPL 2024 auction. Punjab Kings paid ₹8 crore for the left-arm batter.
3.Who is the most popular overseas player in the Punjab Kings squad?
Liam Livingstone is the most popular overseas player in the Punjab Kings squad.