IPL 2024 Auction: Top-3 players to target for Punjab Kings in the mini auction

On the 19th of December, the Punjab Kings (PBKS) franchise could be one of the most intriguing teams to check out. They select the best available players and spend a hefty price to get those who are current trends. Liam Livingstone and Sam Curran are two prime examples of this.

PBKS has a purse of 29.1 crores and eight seats available, two of which are in foreign countries. They have a powerful unit and require a few players to cover the void and others to serve as backups for the regular starters. Here is a list of three possible picks for the next mini-auction from PBKS. 

• Josh Hazlewood

Punjab Kings may target Hazlewood to build a dangerous pace three with Arshdeep Singh, Kagiso Rabada, and the Australian fast himself. The signing of Hazlewood might give the Kings’ bowling attack a new dimension, giving them a force to be reckoned with in the IPL 2024.

With his stint with the Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore, he has proved to be a quality pacer who can scalp crucial wickets and be an economical bowling option. 

• Shahrukh Khan

Punjab Kings put their faith in Shahrukh Khan and backed him like no other team in recent years. However, Shahrukh could not deliver regular results, and the Punjab-based team eventually discharged him ahead of the IPL auction in 2024.

Shahrukh was meant to be a long-term investment, but he has yet to perform as well as predicted. However, PBKS can repurchase him at a cheaper cost and assign him to the finishing responsibilities, as he has set a base price tag of Rs. 40L. Shahrukh has enormous potential and can be counted on to produce once more. 

• KS Bharat

With the wicketkeeping priorities given to Jonny Bairstow and Jitesh Sharma, it is a safer and viable option to rope in another keeper-batter, who can also be a potential candidate to score some crucial runs. And KS Bharat could be one of their players to check out.

The team’s top wicketkeeper, Bairstow, has just been injured, and the English players’ availability is always an issue. As a result, a cover for the Englishmen is required, and KS Bharat fills the bill wonderfully. He can also strike the ball and has shown tremendous improvement as a wicketkeeper, with good technique when given a chance.