Punjab Kings Spinner Harpreet Brar Calls Out 'Fake' Fan After Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Match (WATCH)

After Punjab’s Super Over loss in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, spinner Harpreet Brar called out a fan as “fake” for not following him on Instagram before asking for a selfie. The viral moment brought humor after the tense Haryana match.

Punjab Kings spinner Harpreet Brar encountered a funny incident following the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match against Haryana at the Gymkhana Ground in Hyderabad on Friday, November 28. Harpreet Brar plays for Punjab in domestic cricket and is currently competing in the ongoing edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India’s premier T20 domestic tournament.

Punjab registered their first defeat of the tournament with a Super Over defeat to Haryana in Hyderabad. With an 208-run target, Punjab levelled the score of 207/7 in 20 overs, sending the match to a Super Over. Anmolpreet Singh’s 81-run knock was not enough for the side to chase down the target. In the Super Over, Punjab were restricted to 1/2 and handed just a 2-run target for Haryana to chase in six balls.

Punjab failed to defend their Super Over total as Haryana chased down the target after Nishant Sindhu hit a winning four. Punjab became the fourth team to register a defeat in the Elite Group B of the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025/26.

‘Fake Fan’ Exposed by Harpreet Brar

Following Punjab’s defeat in their second match of the SMAT against Haryana, spinner Harpreet Kaur had a funny incident with a spectator who claimed to be his fan. In a video that went viral on social media, Harpreet can be seen sitting on the bus after the match, and a fan, who was waiting outside the bus, asked for a selfie with the Punjab spinner.

Harpreet took his phone, but checked his Instagram account and found that the person had not been following him on Instagram. The spinner gave the phone back to the person, who immediately followed him for the sake of a selfie. However, Harpreet Brar refused to take the selfie until the fan had actually followed him, playfully calling out the “fake fan” in front of everyone.

“I got a guy who told me, I am your fan. He gave me his phone & he is not even following me. This world is full of fake people,” Harpreet Brar said in a viral video.

Harpreet Brar’s calling out ‘fake fan’ after the match left everyone laughing, as the fan sheepishly followed him on Instagram before snapping the selfie, making it one of the lighter moments of Punjab’s tense Super Over defeat to Haryana in Hyderabad.

Harpreet Brar’s Career

Punjab spinner Harpreet Brar made his domestic debut for his state team in the 2019-20 Vijay Hazare Trophy after playing for Punjab in U‑16, U‑19 and U‑22 levels. In 2018, Harpreet received his first IPL contract after Punjab Kings bought him for INR 20 lakhs at the IPL 2019 Auction. Harpreet’s first shot at fame was when he took his maiden IPL wicket by dismissing Virat Kohli in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

This year, 2025, the 30-year-old made his first-class debut for Punjab in the Ranji Trophy match against Chandigarh. Brar specifically features in white-ball cricket at the domestic level, representing Punjab in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Harpreet Brar had a breakthrough season in IPL 2025, where he not only picked 10 wickets but also played a crucial role in helping Punjab Kings reach the IPL final for the first time in 10 years.

In his T20 career, Harpreet has picked 90 wickets, including 3 four-wicket hauls, at an average of 24.95 and an economy rate of 7.38 in 98 matches. In IPL, the spinner has picked 35 wickets, including a four–wicket haul, at an average of 31.00 and an economy rate of 8.02 in 49 matches.

Harpreet Brar has been retained by Punjab Kings for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League.