Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer’s sister, Shresta Iyer, has found herself at the centre of a wave of online abuse during IPL 2026. The controversy began after she shared a video following a washout between her brother’s side and Kolkata Knight Riders, a match that was abandoned and ultimately handed KKR a point—marking their first point of the season. After the no-result, Shresta posted a light-hearted clip donning a Punjab Kings jersey, adding a line that played on Punjabi pride and the idea of “giving” the opponent a point.
How the washout sparked the trolling
In her post, Shresta said: “Saade Punjabiyan da dil vadda hunda ae. Lo, ditta ek point. (We Punjabis are big-hearted. So, we gave you a point).” The humour of the reel quickly turned into trolling, and she later removed the video.
While the clip circulated, Punjab Kings were also undergoing a major shift in fortunes across IPL 2026. After starting the campaign strongly—remaining unbeaten in their opening seven matches—they then suffered a dramatic slide, losing six matches in a row. By the end of the league phase, they were unable to reach the playoffs.
Shresta’s response after Punjab Kings’ elimination
Once Punjab Kings were knocked out, Shresta published a two-part video addressing the trolling. She clarified that the purpose of the reel was meant as playful banter, and insisted she had no intention of targeting anyone with hostility.
- She said the “motive of the reel was just a fun banter.”
- She claimed she wasn’t trolling anyone and that she had no harmful intent behind the banter.
- She added that she wasn’t trying to spread hate against anyone.
- She noted that she respects every cricketer because her brother is a cricketer.
- She objected to the way trolls allegedly moved beyond the match and directed abuse toward people at her workplace, including colleagues, students, and even her family.
Her message on respecting families and the season’s end
Shresta also underlined that she will continue to support her brother regardless of results, and she stressed that targeting families is unacceptable. “He wins or loses, I will always celebrate him. Anytime the trolls target families, which is not right,” she said.
On the field, Punjab Kings had briefly rediscovered momentum in their most recent match before the end of their campaign. After enduring six consecutive defeats, they bounced back with a seven-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants. Skipper Shreyas Iyer led the turnaround with an unbeaten 101.
However, even that late surge wasn’t enough to push them into the top four. The Iyer-led team finished fifth in IPL 2026 with 15 points from 14 matches, meaning they failed to qualify for the playoffs.
