Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer’s sister, Shresta, has found herself at the centre of an online backlash after sharing a playful reaction to a match that never got a proper conclusion. The episode began after Punjab Kings’ game against Kolkata Knight Riders was washed out, with the result officially becoming a no-result. As a result, KKR collected their first point of IPL 2026 by sharing the points with Punjab Kings, and Shresta chose to mark the moment with humour.
Taking to social media, Shresta posted a video in which she wore a Punjab Kings jersey and delivered a tongue-in-cheek line aimed at the situation. In the clip, she said: “Saade Punjabiyan da dil vadda hunda ae. Lo, ditta ek point. (We Punjabis are big-hearted. So, we gave you a point).” The post quickly drew attention—much of it for the wrong reasons—after she appeared to be celebrating KKR’s point in a light-hearted manner following the abandoned contest.
Not long after, Shresta returned with another video to address the criticism she claimed she had been receiving. She also removed the earlier post on Thursday. “I’ve decided to take down my recent video as it seems it was misunderstood by some. It was meant to be light-hearted banter, but I respect that not everyone saw it that way. However, it’s been quite upsetting to receive not just negativity, but also a few threat messages over it. That’s something I didn’t expect, especially for something that was never intended to harm anyone,” she wrote on Instagram.
In her message, Shresta clarified that the decision to delete the clip was not driven by an admission that she had done something wrong, but by her desire to keep things respectful—especially in relation to her brother and his team. “I’m not removing the video because I believe I did something wrong, but because I respect my brother and his team, and I don’t want this space to turn into one filled with negativity. Let’s try to be a little kinder and more understanding with each other,” she added.
Earlier, on Tuesday, Shresta had said that the hate began after her initial post about Punjab Kings “giving” KKR a point. She also insisted that she was not trying to troll anyone. “Guys, I don’t understand why hate is being spread. I mean, it’s just a game. The videos being made are just for fun, and I am here to support my brother. I will continue to do that. No hate for any team—it’s just a game. Everyone should take it sportingly,” she said in a video shared via her Instagram Story.
Continuing in the same vein, Shresta addressed the tone of the backlash and reiterated her intent behind the content. “I understand aggression. I wasn’t trolling anybody. It was my way of celebrating, and I am going to continue doing that. I am just here to say no hate for anybody—only love. It’s a game; we all should have fun. The rivalry should show, no matter what. There were no personal attacks. Just chill. Peace out, guys,” she concluded.
