- Harassment extended to her family, colleagues, and workplace.
IPL 2026: The online backlash surrounding Shreyas Iyer and his family has taken centre stage after Punjab Kings disappointing exit from IPL 2026. Following PBKS elimination from the playoff race, Shreyas Iyer’s sister, Shresta Iyer, released a two part video addressing the wave of harassment and abuse she allegedly faced online.
Punjab Kings narrowly missed out on a playoff spot after Rajasthan Royals defeated Mumbai Indians in the final league stage fixture at Wankhede Stadium. Despite PBKS ending their campaign with a victory over Lucknow Super Giants, a match in which Shreyas slammed his maiden IPL century, the team failed to qualify for the next round.
Soon after the elimination, an old social media reel posted by Shresta resurfaced online and triggered severe criticism from fans.
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Shresta Iyer Clarifies Viral Reel Was Meant As ‘Fun Banter’
The controversy erupted after a previously uploaded clip featuring Shresta gained traction on social media platforms. In the video, she jokingly referred to gifting a point to Kolkata Knight Riders after a washed out game. Several users interpreted the clip negatively, leading to trolling and abusive comments.
Responding to the backlash, Shresta explained that the reel was created in a light hearted manner and carried no malicious intent.
“The video that I had created earlier, you guys exaggerated it to extremes, when the motive of the reel was just a fun banter. I wasn’t trolling anyone, I had no bad intentions behind the banter. I wasn’t spreading hate against anyone. I respect every cricketer because my brother is a cricketer.”
Her statement quickly gained attention online, with many users extending support while others continued to criticise her over the timing of the post.
‘Stop Harassing People Affiliated With Me’
Shresta also revealed that the abuse extended far beyond social media comments. According to her, anonymous callers allegedly targeted not only her but also people associated with her professionally and personally.
“I pity you guys. You have been calling my workplace, abusing me, my colleagues, my students and my family. Harassing them and calling at random times.”
She further appealed to users to avoid dragging innocent people into online hate campaigns and insisted that she would continue supporting her brother irrespective of results on the field.
“If you want to hate me, please continue doing that, but stop harassing people affiliated with me. I am not here to tell what is right or wrong. I will celebrate my brother, whether he wins or loses, I will always celebrate him.”
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PBKS And KKR Fall Short In IPL 2026
Punjab Kings ended the season in fifth place, missing qualification by a single point despite maintaining a stronger net run rate than some rivals. Their campaign began brightly with six wins in the first seven matches before a dramatic collapse saw them lose six consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Kolkata Knight Riders also endured an inconsistent season. After a poor start in which they lost five of their opening six fixtures, KKR revived their campaign with six victories in seven matches. However, a defeat to Delhi Capitals in their final outing pushed them down to seventh position.
