Punjab Kings sign in-form Peshawar Zalmi batter as Glenn Maxwell's replacement

Punjab Kings (PBKS) have named Mitchell Owen as the replacement for the injured Glenn Maxwell, who has been ruled out of the IPL 2025 due to a fractured finger. 

Owen, currently representing Peshawar Zalmi in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL), is set to join PBKS for a reported sum of INR 3 crore.

According to the reports, Owen will travel to India once Zalmi’s PSL campaign concludes. As of now, Zalmi sit fifth among six teams and are scheduled to play their final group-stage match on May 9. 

If they qualify for the playoffs, the right-handed batter could remain in Pakistan until May 18, the day of the PSL final — two days after PBKS’ last group-stage match, but ahead of the IPL playoffs.

The 23-year-old from Tasmania rose to prominence during the most recent Big Bash League (BBL) season, where he finished as the leading run-scorer and played a pivotal role in the Hobart Hurricanes’ title triumph. 

His standout performance came in the final, where he smashed 108 off 42 balls, earning him the Player of the Match award. Owen tallied 452 runs from 11 innings, averaging 45.20 with a blistering strike rate of 203.60. 

Since then, he has also featured in the SA20 and the PSL.

In addition to his batting prowess, Owen contributes with the ball as a medium pacer and has 10 wickets from 20 T20 innings. 

His signing is backed by PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting, who has tracked Owen’s progress closely through his role as head of strategy at the Hurricanes.

The 23-year-old initially joined Peshawar Zalmi as a replacement for Corbin Bosch, who withdrew from the PSL after opting to join Mumbai Indians (MI) in place of the injured Lizaad Williams. 

Bosch’s sudden withdrawal led to disciplinary action, with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) issuing a one-year ban from the PSL and a legal notice.

"I deeply regret my decision to withdraw from the PSL, and offer my sincere apologies to the people of Pakistan, the fans of Peshawar Zalmi, and the wider cricket community," Bosch, who has played two games for MI in IPL 2025, said in a statement released by the PCB at the time.