Ishan Kishan took a dig at Shreyas Iyer and the Punjab Kings after Sunrisers Hyderabad remained on top of the IPL 2026 points table following their third consecutive defeat of the season.
Punjab Kings are looking for another playoff spot this season after finishing runners-up in the last season of the competition. Under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer, Punjab Kings will be aiming to win their first title this season.
The Kings made a great start to the season by going undefeated in seven consecutive games. However, since then, the Kings have lost three consecutive matches, and their fielding problems may be their biggest concern.
Ishan Kishan trolls Shreyas Iyer’s PBKS for missed catch
Punjab Kings were the leading team on the top of the IPL 2026 points table, and despite the loss, they would have had a chance to remain on top if they had managed to win against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
The Kings got the chance to bowl first, which was their biggest strength throughout the season. However, while bowling for Sunrisers, Yuzvendra Chahal bowled brilliantly in his spell despite the other batsmen taking runs.
Chahal took the wicket of Travis Head, but Ishan Kishan top-edged him twice and was out on single-digit and double-digit scores on several occasions. Heinrich Klaasen was also dismissed for just nine runs by PBKS vice-captain Shashank Singh off the bowling of Yuzi Chahal. Shahshank has had a bad season on the field.
After the drops, Ishan Kishan scored 55 off just 32 balls and played a key role behind SRH’s success, dismissing Marcus Stoinis with a sharp catch. After the win, Ishan Kishan trolled the Shreyas Iyer-led PBKS team with an Instagram post where he captioned, “Catch me if you can.”
Shubman Gill also makes fun of Punjab Kings after consecutive defeats in IPL 2026
With Ishan Kishan’s drops proving costly, Prabhsimran Singh also missed a stumping opportunity against Kishan. The two middle-order batsmen contributed 124 runs for SRH and if PBKS had not dropped these catches, it could have been restricted to a single-digit score.
In their previous game against Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings struggled with the bat and lost the game after setting a small target. Gill’s Instagram post then mentioned, “Bas jeetna hai, awaa de.”
The statement means ‘We will win, let them come,’ and it seemed like a jab at Punjab Kings’ former winning streak, which was interrupted after two defeats in the season.
Punjab Kings have lost the number 1 position for the first time in IPL 2026
Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy has been commendable; However, not taking catches may not be something the captain can help you improve. Shreyas himself has been enigmatic on the field and has taken some incredible grabs this season.
The Kings still have ten matches left in the season, and can take their points tally above 20 if they get back to their winning streak. They are still in a very safe position, and two wins can definitely get them a place in the playoffs.
However, this is the first time that they have lost the top spot in the points table and will look to make a comeback in their next game. Their next four matches include three out-of-form opponents namely Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants.
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