Marcus Stoinis Dropped From PBKS Playing 11 Against MI, Know His Replacement

Punjab Kings head into their 12th Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 clash against Mumbai Indians under immense pressure after suffering four straight defeats. With the playoff race tightening, PBKS made a significant change to their playing XI in Dharamshala by dropping Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis.

The Shreyas Iyer-led side has struggled with bowling consistency in recent matches, particularly during the death overs, and now, the management decided to leave out Stoinis for the crucial clash. This made the fans wonder why Marcus Stoinis is not playing today match.

Marcus Stoinis Dropped For PBKS vs MI Clash

PBKS all-rounder Marcus Stoinis has endured a difficult run in IPL 2026 and failed to make the desired impact with either bat or ball. In the previous match against Delhi Capitals, the Australian all-rounder leaked crucial runs and struggled to control the scoring rate during the middle overs, adding to PBKS’ bowling concerns.

To address those issues, Punjab Kings brought in Azmatullah Omarzai, who offers greater control with the ball alongside lower-order hitting ability. The Afghanistan all-rounder has built a strong reputation in franchise cricket with his disciplined seam bowling and the ability to contribute quick runs under pressure.

PBKS are hoping that Marcus Stoinis replacement, Azmatullah Omarzai, can provide better balance to the side as they attempt to revive their playoff hopes against a Mumbai Indians team that is already eliminated from contention. After dominating the initial part of the season, the Kings have dropped down in the IPL points table and are desperate for a win here.

Marcus Stoinis’ Lacklustre Performance In IPL 2026

Marcus Stoinis has been one of the best all-rounders in IPL over the years. However, he has endured a disappointing IPL 2026 campaign for the Punjab Kings so far, especially with the ball. Across 11 innings before being dropped against the Mumbai Indians, the Australian all-rounder did manage to score 179 runs at an average of 35.80. However, his lack of impact with the ball led to his absence from the PBKS vs MI IPL 2026 match.

Stoinis also failed to provide control as a bowling option, conceding runs at an economy rate above 12 and managing only two wickets. In Punjab’s previous clash against Delhi Capitals, he leaked heavily during the death overs. While he has been left out for this game, he can come back in the remaining matches and can play a key role in PBKS' journey ahead.