Shreyas Iyer’s chat with Akash Ambani sparks meme fest

Dubai: Was it small talk, banter, or something more? No one knows — but fans can’t stop guessing.

A brief chat between Shreyas Iyer and Mumbai Indians owner Akash Ambani during Monday’s match in Jaipur has gone viral, with fans throwing out wild theories even as Iyer continues to lead Punjab Kings’ title charge.

The Punjab Kings captain was seen leaning over the advertising hoardings during the 18th over—just as Suryakumar Yadav was completing his half-century—to exchange a few words with the Mumbai franchise owner. The contents of the conversation weren’t picked up by microphones, but the visual alone was enough to set off a flurry of memes and speculation on social media.

The Mumbai-born Iyer is known to share a friendly rapport with Ambani, but in the high-stakes setting of the IPL, even a casual chat can trigger a trending topic.

While the viral moment sparked online chatter, the real story remains Iyer’s leadership on the field. Monday’s convincing win over Mumbai Indians confirmed Punjab Kings’ place at the top of the table at the end of the league stage—an impressive turnaround for a team chasing their first title in 18 years.

The result also felt like a personal vindication for Iyer, who had led Kolkata Knight Riders to their third IPL title last season but was not retained ahead of the current campaign. That decision has turned into a blessing for Punjab, where he has clicked superbly with Australian legend Ricky Ponting.

Together, the pair have guided Punjab to nine wins from 14 matches, with one match abandoned.

“Every individual has stepped up at the right time. Starting from game one, we’ve had the mindset of wanting to win, no matter the situation. We’ve had players putting their hands up when we were in the dumps,” Iyer told the official broadcasters at the presentation.

“Kudos to the support staff and management too. Ricky has been fantastic with player management—it’s important for me to get trust too. I feel the dressing room has been top notch throughout.”

Iyer also credited the team’s six uncapped players, especially Priyansh Arya, who struck a vital half-century against Mumbai. “The camaraderie has been there for the past few years between Ricky and me. He gives me a lot of freedom. I tell him to do the thinking from the outside, and then I execute on the field,” he said.

Punjab fans will hope that leadership and clarity off the field continues to pay off—no matter what’s being whispered near the boundary.