Punjab Kings' star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has been sidelined for the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season due to a severe injury to his right hand. The Australian cricketer missed the crucial match against Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday, with his captain Shreyas Iyer revealing that Maxwell had sustained a fractured finger.

Maxwell, who has played in seven of the Kings' nine games this season, has struggled to find his form, managing single-figure totals in five of his six innings and a high score of just 30. Despite his batting woes, the 36-year-old has contributed with his off-spin, taking four wickets at an average of 27.50.

The Kings acquired Maxwell in the pre-season mega auction for 4.2 crore (£390,000), following his four successful seasons with Royal Challengers Bengaluru. His injury marks the second premature end to a season for an overseas player in the Kings' squad, after New Zealand seamer Lockie Ferguson suffered a leg injury in mid-April.

Kings' head coach Ricky Ponting addressed the situation, stating, "We will be signing some replacements at some stage. We've got until our 12th game to name replacements, so we have a couple of games to go yet. We're having a look around at Indian talent as well and we're looking at what roles we might be able to fill."

Currently positioned second in the IPL table with six wins and three losses, the Kings are set to face Lucknow Super Giants on Sunday, 4 May (15:00 BST). The team's management is now focused on strategizing to fill the void left by Maxwell's absence and maintaining their competitive edge in the tournament.