As the excitement builds for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL), set to commence on March 28, 2026, only the first 20 match schedules have been released due to state elections. Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Bangar has made a compelling case for the Punjab Kings to include Harpreet Brar in their lineup for every match. He stated, “I don’t believe there’s significant pressure on Yuzi since he primarily bowls in the middle overs. With Glenn Maxwell’s departure, they’ve lost a crucial player for powerplay overs. This is where Harpreet Brar shines as a quality asset.” Bangar went on to commend Brar, emphasizing his pivotal role within the team. “It’s essential not to play him solely based on match-ups. During my time with the team, I had immense faith in his skills. Each time he was called to bowl for Punjab, he delivered. I’ve seen his effectiveness against RCB and have always regarded him highly. His performance isn’t dictated by whether he’s facing right-handers or left-handers. Therefore, it’s crucial to utilize Harpreet Brar—perhaps as an impact player—but make sure he’s featured in every match,” Bangar elaborated. The Punjab Kings will kick off their IPL 2026 journey facing the Gujarat Titans on March 31 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh.
**IPL 2026 Squads:**
**Punjab Kings:** Marcus Stoinis, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shashank Singh, Praveen Dubey, Lockie Ferguson, Shreyas Iyer, Ben Dwarshuis, Vishnu Vinod (WK), Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur, Azmatullah Omarzai, Vyshak Vijay Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Marco Jansen, Nehal Wadhera, Prabhsmiran Singh (WK), Harpreet Brar, Priyansh Arya, Suryansh Shedge, Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Owen, Pyla Avinash, Harnoor Singh, Musheer Khan, Vishal Nishad.
**Gujarat Titans:** Ishant Sharma, Jos Buttler (WK), Jason Holder, Jayant Yadav, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Tewatia, Luke Wood, Shahrukh Khan, Glenn Phillips, Prasidh Krishna, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Sai Kishore, Shubman Gill (C), Tim Banton (WK), Yarra Prithvi Raj, Anuj Rawat, Sai Sudharsan, Manav Suthar, Kumar Kushagra (WK), Arshad Khan, Nishant Sindhu, Gurnoor Brar, Ashok Sharma.