PSL player signed as replacement by Punjab Kings sign for Glenn Maxwell

Punjab Kings have brought in one Australian all-rounder to replace another, with Mitchell Owen signing with the franchise for the remainder of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) following a season-ending injury to Glenn Maxwell. Owen has signed with the Kings for Rs 3 crore, but will join the 18th season of the IPL only after his ongoing commitments with the Peshawar Zalmi in the 10th season of the Pakistan Super League comes to an end.

Owen had featured in each of the seven matches that Zalmi have played so far in PSL 2025 before receiving a call-up from the PBKS team management to replace fellow Australian all-rounder Maxwell, who has been ruled out of the remainder of the season due to a broken finger after an underwhelming run this year in which he scored just 48 runs in seven matches at an average of 8.

Zalmi currently are fifth out of six teams in the ongoing PSL season after winning three and losing four matches so far, with their final league match taking place on 9 May. Should Zalmi qualify for the playoffs and go all the way till the final on 18 May, Owen might not make his IPL debut until the playoffs, if Punjab qualify.

Interestingly, Zalmi had signed Owen as a replacement for South African seam-bowling all-rounder Corbin Bosch, who had staged a last-minute pull-out from the PSL in order to join Mumbai Indians as a replacement for compatriot Lizaad Williams .

Who is Mitchell Owen, Glenn Maxwell’s replacement at PBKS?

Owen had scored 101 runs in those seven matches while batting at various positions, including as an opener. His strike rate of 198.03, however, is what might have got PBKS’ attention. The 23-year-old is also a handy seamer and had collected two wickets for as many runs in a space of five deliveries in Zalmi’s 120-run thrashing of Multan Sultans.

Owen’s claim to fame is his outstanding performance in the most recent season of the Big Bash League, where the Hobart Hurricanes all-rounder finished as the leading run-scorer with 452 runs in 11 outings at an average and strike rate of 45.20 and 203.60 respectively.

He had begun his senior career with the Hurricanes in the BBL in January 2021, making his List A debut for Tasmania the following month and his First-Class debut more than two years later in October 2023. He has scored a total of 646 runs at a strike-rate of 184.57 in 34 T20 appearances.

Given Ponting’s Tasmanian himself, he certainly would have had his eyes on Owen for some time and might have had a key role in getting the franchise to sign the middle-order batter once a spot opened up in the squad.