A 15-second fun video wearing a Punjab Kings jersey. A joke in Punjabi about being “big-hearted.” And then days of hatred, threats, and a public apology she did not owe — this is what Shresta Iyer’s week looked like after the KKR vs PBKS washout.

What Happened at Eden Gardens

The IPL 2026 clash between Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings on Monday, April 7, at Eden Gardens was abandoned after just 3.4 overs — the first no-result of the season. KKR were 25 for 2 when heavy rain arrived at 7:48 PM, with Xavier Bartlett having already taken two early wickets. Despite attempts to dry the ground, the outfield remained unfit for play past the 11:14 PM cut-off, and the match was officially abandoned with one point shared by each side.

For KKR — who had lost their previous two matches, with Varun Chakravarthy injured and Sunil Narine ruled out ill — the shared point was fortunate. For PBKS, it still kept them at the top of the table with five points from three matches.

The Joke That Went Wrong

Shortly after the abandonment, Shresta Iyer — a professional dancer and choreographer, and Shreyas Iyer’s sister — posted a video on Instagram wearing a PBKS jersey. In the clip, she said:

“Saade Punjabiyan da dil vadda hunda ae. Lo, ditta ek point.”

(We Punjabis are big-hearted. So, we gave you a point.)

The video was playful, cheeky and — given that PBKS had literally done nothing to “give” KKR anything; it was the rain — entirely harmless in intent. But it went viral, and a section of KKR fans did not see it as banter. The comments section filled rapidly with abuse, and then came the threatening messages.

Two Statements, One Deletion

On Tuesday, Shresta addressed the hate directly in an Instagram Story, choosing de-escalation over retaliation.

“Guys, I don’t understand why hate is being spread. I mean, it’s just a game. The videos being made are just for fun, and I am here to support my brother. I will continue to do that. No hate for any team — it’s just a game. Everyone should take it sportingly.”

“I understand aggression. I wasn’t trolling anybody. It was my way of celebrating, and I am going to continue doing that. I am just here to say no hate for anybody — only love. Just chill. Peace out, guys.”

By Thursday, however, the situation had escalated enough that Shresta deleted the original video entirely. Her final statement made the reason clear — it was not guilt, it was the threat messages.

“I’ve decided to take down my recent video as it seems it was misunderstood by some. It was meant to be light-hearted banter, but I respect that not everyone saw it that way. However, it’s been quite upsetting to receive not just negativity, but also a few threat messages over it. That’s something I didn’t expect, especially for something that was never intended to harm anyone.”

“I’m not removing the video because I believe I did something wrong, but because I respect my brother and his team, and I don’t want this space to turn into one filled with negativity. Let’s try to be a little kinder and more understanding with each other.”

The episode is a reminder of how unforgiving social media can be for anyone connected to an IPL franchise — and how cricket fandom, at its worst, collapses the line between rivalry and personal threat. Shresta handled it with more grace than most adults would.