Punjab Kings batter Shashank Singh dropped a crucial catch of Heinrich Klaasen during the IPL 2026 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, marking his fifth dropped catch of the season. The error proved costly as Klaasen went on to score 69 runs, leading to fan criticism and suggestions that Singh be used only as an Impact Player.
The Punjab Kings (PBKS) batter Shashank Singh has yet again become the centre of attention for the wrong reasons after dropping a crucial catch during the IPL 2026 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Wednesday, May 6.
After being put to bat first by PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer, the SRH posted a solid total of 235/4 in 20 overs and set a 235-run target for the visitors to chase. The innings were powered by explosive knocks by Heinrich Klaasen and Ishan Kishan, who smashed 69 off 43 balls at a strike rate of 160.47 and 55 off 32 balls at a strike rate of 171.88, respectively.
Openers Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head gave SRH an explosive start while scoring 35 off 13 balls and 38 off 19 balls at a strike rate of 269.23 and 200, respectively, laying a solid foundation for the innings and putting the PBKS bowlers under early pressure.
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Shashank and Catching Woes Continue to Trouble PBKS
As the Punjab Kings looked to claw their way back into the contest, Shashank Singh became a liability in the field once again. It has become evident again when he dropped a crucial catch of Heinrich Klaasen, who was batting on just 9 runs, off Yuzvendra Chahal’s delivery.
Klaasen made optimum use of the reprieve, going on to add another 60 runs to his tally and punishing the PBKS bowlers with aggressive strokeplay, turning the momentum decisively in SRH’s favour. PBKS coach Ricky Ponting noted that Shashank Singh is going through a tough phase in the field.
“Poor Shashank Singh, it seems the ball is flying everywhere he’s going,” Ponting said on the sidelines of the match.
This was the fifth catch dropped by Shashank Singh in the ongoing IPL season, having previously dropped three catches against the Lucknow Super Giants and one of KL Rahul during the clash against the Delhi Capitals. The Mumbai cricketer had a brain-fade moment when he misjudged the boundary catch against the LSG.
Shashank Singh was ruled out of the matches against the Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans on April 28 and May 3, respectively, due to hamstring strain. Returning from injury, however, his struggles in the field persisted, with another costly drop adding to Punjab Kings’ woes in a high-pressure contest.
‘Luck Not On Shashank’s Side’
Shashank Singh’s persistent struggles in the field have become a topic of debate on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), with fans and cricket enthusiasts expressing concern over his dip in form.
Taking to their X handles, fans and cricket enthusiasts largely criticised his fielding lapse, with some questioning his place in the playing XI, others suggesting he be used purely as an Impact Player by restricting his role to batting duties rather than continuing to field in pressure situations.
Many urged the team management to reconsider his fielding positions or give him time away from the spotlight to regain confidence.
Meanwhile, Punjab Kings suffered their third successive defeat following a 33-run loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad. With a 236-run target, the PBKS failed to chase it down as they were restricted to 202/7 in 20 overs, despite a valiant, unbeaten 107-run knock by Cooper Connolly.
Despite three losses on the trot, PBKS are at the second spot with six wins in 10 games, while SRH moved to the top of the points table with seven wins in 11 games.
