Shreyas Iyer's sister, Shresta Iyer, faced severe online backlash for a viral video mocking KKR, which resurfaced after PBKS's IPL exit. She responded by clarifying it was harmless banter and slammed the trolls for harassing her and her colleagues at their workplace.
The Punjab Kings (PBKS) skipper Shreyas Iyer’s sister, Shresta Iyer, has become a centre of trolls, criticism, and backlash after her video mocking the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) went viral on social media following the match between the two sides at Eden Gardens, which was abandoned due to heavy rain.
The PBKS’ IPL 2026 campaign ended in the league stage, despite a strong start to the season with a seven-match unbeaten run before cracking completely under the pressure of the tournament's business end, losing six matches on the trot. The Rajasthan Royals' victory over the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium officially sealed the Punjab Kings' fate, dumping them out of the playoff race by just a single point.
Following the PBKS’ exit from the tournament, the video has resurfaced on social media, where Shreyas Iyer’s sister was apparently mocking the Kolkata Knight Riders, saying, “Saade Punjabiyan da dil vadda hunda hai, lo de ditta ek point.” (We Punjabis have big hearts; here, take a point.)
Related Articles
Though the video was deleted by Shresta Iyer on her Instagram handle after receiving backlash earlier, it didn’t deter the relentless online community from salvaging the clip and weaponising it as a symbol of the team's failed campaign.
Also Read: Dasgupta on RCB-GT Powerplay battle, says winner may win tournament
‘It Was A Fun Banter Video’
After relentless online backlash and trolls, Shresta Iyer was forced to break her silence over the ongoing toxicity. In a direct and emotionally charged video, Shreyas’s sister confronted the narrative that had spiralled far beyond the confines of a cricket pitch.
Speaking in a video posted on her Instagram handle, Shresta Shrestha clarified her viral KKR video was harmless sibling support and playful banter, not hate. She stressed respect for all cricketers and teams, saying trolls wrongly exaggerated her intentions after PBKS’ playoff exit.
“The video I made in the past, you made such a small thing so big. No problem, you think it was a trolling video. Okay, according to me, it was a fun banter video, and I had no bad intentions behind it. I was just supporting my brother's team." Shresta said.
"It doesn't mean that I am spreading hate about that team or that I hate the people of that team. I love all of them. In fact, I respect all the cricketers because my brother is a cricketer himself, and I respect them a lot.
The video was made by Shresta Iyer after the Kolkata Knight Riders received one point after their clash against the Punjab Kings was washed out due to rain at Eden Gardens, earning a point after losing the first two matches. However, the video was viewed as an act of arrogance by KKR fans, who were already reeling from a difficult start to their season.
Shresta Slams ‘Jobless Trolls’
Further speaking on the issue, Shresta did not hold back in calling out the malicious nature of the campaign against her, stating that ‘jobless’ and ‘frustrated’ people who spend their time attacking others online are simply projecting their own insecurities.
“I have come to talk about those fans who are jobless, frustrated people who have no business. If you open my page and go to my comment section and read the comments, you will understand how bad the comments are and how many people are there who are frustrated, jobless, who have nothing to do. I pity you guys. I genuinely pity you guys." Shresta said.
Following the Punjab Kings’ exit, Shresta Iyer put up a post on her Instagram handle, reflecting on her brother Shreyas Iyer-led side’s tough season, highlighting the bittersweet nature of an ‘emotional rollercoaster’ that saw the team face both exhilarating highs and heartbreaking lows.
However, Shresta turned off her comments section, as a protective measure to curb the rampant toxicity and harassment flooding her profile following a viral video mocking the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) following a rain-abandoned match at Eden Gardens.
Also Read: IPL Qualifier 1: Calmness is key against Gujarat, says RCB's Patidar
Harassment at Workplace and Targeting Others
Shresta Iyer further revealed that her colleagues had become targets of the intense malice, adding that trolls had tracked down her professional business contact number, used specifically for her work in dance and choreography, and used it to bombard her office with abusive, late-night calls.
"But here I have not come to talk about me. Here I have come to talk about the people with whom I am associated with. You guys have been reaching out to them because you are not getting any response from me. I really don't care. But you guys have been reaching out to my workplace where I work." Shresta said.
"There is a number there which is the number of work. And usually they answer all calls because thinking that there will be a call for some work. And when they answer, they have to listen to your bullshit that is abuse about me and about them because they work with me and abuse about my family, and I mean, there is a limit, guys. You are crossing all your lines here."
"You are calling them, and you are calling at a random time. You are calling at 3 o'clock, you are calling at 4 o'clock, you are calling on call. You are harassing them," she added.
Shresta Iyer is a professional dancer and choreographer who has gained significant recognition for her work in the performing arts and digital media. She has recently made her Bollywood debut with the energetic dance number "Agreement Karle" in the movie Sarkari Baccha.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Kings finished the season as the fifth-placed team on the points table with 7 in 14 matches, earning 15 points and having a net run rate (NRR) of +0.309.
