Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting has reportedly approved Marco Jansen‘s delayed arrival for the IPL 2026. The South African all-rounder was among the last group of players to leave India following
the T20 World Cup due to logistical challenges.
Players from South Africa and West Indies remained stranded in India for over a week following the end of their World Cup campaigns due to the air travel restrictions in wake of the ongoing middle east crisis.
Some, including West Indies head coach Daren Sammy and Proteas batter David Miller, voiced frustration over the delays.
Jansen is set to join the team on March 26.
“Ricky fully supports his players. Considering Marco left India late, he understands the need to give him adequate time at home,” a source told news agency PTI.
The tall left-arm pacer picked up 16 wickets last season at an economy rate of 9.20.
Ponting and most of the overseas players are expected to link up with the squad on March 21.
Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai will arrive from Kabul on March 23, with his country currently involved in a conflict with Pakistan. With airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi still operating well below capacity, teams continue to face added challenges in arranging travel for players coming from the west.
In their first season with PBKS, the Ponting–Shreyas Iyer partnership guided the franchise to the final last year, its first appearance since 2014. They topped the points table with nine wins and four defeats from 14 games.
After losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the first qualifier, they defeated Mumbai Indians to enter the title clash. However, in a high-scoring final, PBKS suffered a six-run defeat.
Iyer, on the other hand, will link up with the PBKS squad on March 19.
PBKS will open their 2026 campaign at home against Gujarat Titans on March 31, before facing Chennai Super Kings in an away clash on April 3.
With PTI Inputs
