New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson has confirmed that he will not be available for the opening matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. The right-arm fast bowler informed Punjab Kings (PBKS) head coach Ricky Ponting that he wants to prioritize spending time with family after the birth of his newborn son.
PBKS retained Ferguson for the IPL 2026 season at a salary of ₹2 crore. The fast bowler took five wickets at an average of 20.80 and an economy rate of 9.17 in four matches for the Kings during the last campaign. Overall, he has taken 51 wickets in 49 matches at an average of 30 and an economy rate of 8.97.
Lockie Ferguson prioritizes family over franchise commitments
In the second T20 International match against South Africa, Lockie Ferguson took three wickets for just 16 runs. Speaking ahead of the third T20 International in Auckland, the 34-year-old fast bowler shared his decision-making process regarding his absence from the early stages of IPL 2026.
“I’ve just had a little son, I’m trying to spend as much time at home as possible and help my wife. After that I’ll have a few weeks off, before going into the latter stages of the IPL and going away for the winter,” Ferguson said.
He said, “Generally cricket is in progress, which is amazing. Sometimes the difficult part is to choose when to rest. So, choosing this time, which I think is quite fair, considering that the wife was taking care of the child while I was at the World Cup. So, no, I am really looking forward to spending some time at home and playing some cricket after that.”
Lockie Ferguson takes paternity leave; PBKS backup options
Lockie Ferguson had earlier taken a short paternity leave during the T20 World Cup 2026. The fast bowler spent around four days with his family before rejoining the New Zealand squad for the crucial Super Eight stage of the tournament.
The Blackcaps suffered a massive 96-run defeat in the World Cup final against India at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Ferguson endured a forgettable outing, conceding 48 runs without taking a single wicket.
With Ferguson unavailable for the initial matches, Punjab Kings may include Australian fast bowler Ben Dwarshuis in their playing eleven. The franchise spent ₹4.4 crore in the auction to buy Dwarshuis, who remains the second-highest wicket-taker in the history of the Big Bash League.
Notably, the Kings also have strong fast bowling depth. The franchise can make use of Indian fast bowlers Arshdeep Singh, Yash Thakur and Vishak Vijaykumar as well as foreign all-rounders Marco Jansen, Azmatullah Omarzai and Marcus Stoinis.
I’m still committed to playing for New Zealand – Lockie Ferguson
Despite not having a central contract, Lockie Ferguson is looking forward to representing New Zealand in upcoming ICC events. The fast bowler admitted that he is working hard to maintain match fitness ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup and 2028 T20 World Cup.
“They thought it was my last game (laughs). No, I’m still committed to playing for New Zealand. I really enjoyed my time with the group in India. I think there are a lot of expectations within our group with the team we’ve got. We obviously didn’t do it in India, but at the same time we felt very proud from that tournament.”
The Punjab Kings fast bowler has taken 99 wickets in 65 ODIs for New Zealand at an average of 31.55. In the T20I format, he has taken 75 wickets in 53 matches at an impressive average of 17.94 and an economy rate of 7.44.
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