Shashank Singh on Shreyas Iyer's angry reaction in IPL 2025: I deserved to be slapped

Dubai: Punjab Kings were chasing history in Qualifier 2 of the Indian Premier League 2025. The match against five-time champions Mumbai Indians was on a knife’s edge, with skipper Shreyas Iyer leading the charge in a tense run chase.

With 38 runs needed for a place in the final, PBKS batter Shashank Singh was cruising towards a sharp single — until a direct hit caught him short of the crease. What followed was a rare moment of fury from Shreyas Iyer, who lashed out at one of his most dependable players for a lapse that nearly cost them the game.

Now, a week later, Shashank has opened up about the run-out and his captain’s reaction.

“I deserve it. Shreyas should have slapped me. My father didn’t speak to me till the final,” he told The Indian Express. “I was casual, I was walking on the beach, not even in the garden. It was a crucial time.”

Despite the outburst, Shreyas Iyer played a captain’s knock — an unbeaten 87 off 41 balls — guiding PBKS to victory with an over to spare. He eventually made peace with Shashank, even inviting him to dinner after the match.

“Shreyas was clear — ‘I didn’t expect this from you.’ But later, he took me out for dinner,” added the 33-year-old all-rounder.

Shashank, for his part, called Shreyas Iyer the best captain in world cricket today. “Whatever I have seen and heard, there is no better captain right now. He gives us freedom, treats everyone equally. The youngsters see him as a chill bandaa (person),” he said. “He’s the only captain who has told us that if anyone has suggestions during the match, they’re free to speak. If it makes sense, he’ll take it. That’s rare.”

Shashank bounced back with an unbeaten 61 off 30 balls in the IPL final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. But PBKS fell short by six runs.

He admitted missing key opportunities — including a full toss in the final over — still haunts him.

“I had done my calculation for the last two overs. I thought we’d need 24 off the final six balls. But I only got 13 off Bhuvi’s over. Hazelwood’s first ball was a full toss on my thigh pad — if I had just connected, with fine leg up, it would’ve gone for six.”

“Now I feel terrible. People praise my batting, but they all bring up that one full toss. From hotel to airport to home — everyone says, ‘Bhaiyya, bas woh ball maar dete (brother, you should have hit that delivery).’”

While Punjab couldn’t lift the trophy, Iyer’s leadership throughout the season stood out.

“I feel captaincy is about getting the best out of your players,” he said. “We had momentum from the start with back-to-back wins, and our youngsters stepped up. From ball one, they played fearless cricket.”

“We stayed consistent. There was positivity throughout — that’s what got us to the final.”