Shashank Singh’s frustration was written all over his face, and so was Arshdeep Singh’s. For the second match in a row, Shashank’s fielding let the moment slip—this time in a high-pressure chance involving KL Rahul during Punjab Kings’ visit to Delhi.
Shashank’s dropped catch costs another wicket
- Incident happened during PBKS vs Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday
- KL Rahul was dropped in the third over
- Rahul pulled a short delivery toward deep square leg on the second ball of the over
- Arshdeep Singh and PBKS owner Preity Zinta were visibly disappointed
- Quotable reaction: “Arshdeep Singh thought he had a wicket, but Shashank Singh had different plans and dropped an easy catch.”
After missing a chance in the match against Lucknow Super Giants, Shashank was unable to convert another opportunity when PBKS faced Delhi Capitals. In the third over, Rahul went after a short ball and directed it toward deep square leg, only for Shashank to fail to hold on.
Arshdeep Singh appeared to believe the wicket was already secured, and the body language around the field reflected the shock. PBKS owner Preity Zinta was also left stunned by the drop, underscoring how costly that let-off could prove in a tight T20 contest.
Social media chatter captured the pattern too, with attention drawn to the “last 4 catches attempted” by Shashank Singh—each one ending in another missed chance. The criticism wasn’t just about the single play, but the repeated nature of the errors that have been hard to ignore.
Connolly backs PBKS’ “basics” approach
While Shashank’s slip drew the spotlight, Cooper Connolly shifted the focus back to the bigger picture for Punjab Kings. The batting all-rounder said the side’s smooth run in IPL 2026 has been built on sticking to fundamentals and carrying them out for longer stretches—an approach they want to maintain when they take on Delhi Capitals again at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Punjab Kings, captained by Shreyas Iyer, are positioned at the top of the points table with 11 points. Their tally includes five wins from six matches, and Connolly framed their success as a continuation of what has worked in the early part of the campaign.
Connolly said the process has always felt constructive: “It’s always been positive. We just reinforce and reinforce, keep doing what we’ve been doing for the first sort of five or six games. We’ve been good.” He also stressed the need for discipline as the tournament continues, noting that there is no guaranteed advantage because “any team can beat any team.”
From a pre-game conversation with the broadcasters, Connolly added that the key is to keep the basics “tight,” continue building momentum, and stay loyal to their strengths rather than chase shortcuts.
Individually, Connolly has been a major influence for PBKS as a specialist batter. At the time of the discussion, he had scored 223 runs across six matches, and he described his IPL journey as a learning curve—especially through time spent around the openers.
He highlighted the benefit of soaking up how senior batters prepare and execute: watching them go about their business at the top, getting time in the middle alongside them, and using that experience to improve. Connolly said he is “just trying to embrace being up there with them,” adding that he wants to put pressure on bowlers in the powerplay by playing good cricket consistently.
