Punjab Kings have suffered a major setback as their fast bowler, Lockie Ferguson, has been ruled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. The Kiwi pacer sustained a serious injury and hobbled off the field in PBKS' previous game against Sunrisers Hyderabad last week, after bowling just two deliveries.

"Ferguson is out indefinitely, and the chances of us getting him back by the end of the tournament are very slim, I would have thought," said PBKS bowling coach James Hopes said ahead of their match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Mullanpur on Tuesday. "I think he has sustained a pretty serious injury."

Ferguson was seen clutching the side of his left leg just below the hip after delivering the second ball of the sixth over against SRH. He left the field after consulting the physio and did not return to bowl. SRH went on to chase down a 246-run target with eight wickets in hand and nine balls to spare - the second-highest successful chase in IPL history.

While Hopes has not specified the exact nature of the injury, early indications suggest it could be a significant muscle strain. Ferguson played four matches in IPL 2025, picking up five wickets at an economy rate of 9.17.

This is Ferguson’s third injury since November 2024. In February, he was ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy due to a hamstring injury sustained during the ILT20 in the UAE. He also missed New Zealand’s ODI series against Sri Lanka late last year with a calf injury.

His absence will be a big blow to the PBKS bowling unit, which has conceded over 200 runs in four of their five matches so far. Ferguson played a crucial role in the middle overs, taking five wickets in four appearances this season.

With their bowlers proving expensive, Punjab Kings will struggle to find an effective replacement for Ferguson ahead of their upcoming clash against KKR on Tuesday.

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