"I deserve it, Iyer should have slapped me" - PBKS batter's stunning statement on viral video post IPL 2025 final

Punjab Kings (PBKS) batter Shashank Singh made a stunning remark regarding an incident in the IPL 2025. The 33-year-old said he deserved a slap from skipper Shreyas Iyer following his casual run out against Mumbai Indians (MI) in Qualifier 2. The statement came as Iyer was visibly frustrated with Shashank after Punjab won the contest by five wickets.

Take a look at Iyer's reaction:

Shashank added that he was disappointed with himself following the incident and thanked Iyer for taking him to dinner. He further lauded Iyer’s rise as skipper in the T20 format. The Mumbai-born player led his team to back-to-back IPL finals, having helped the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) end their 10-year-long trophy drought in the 2024 season.

Shashank Singh said (via Indian Express):

“I deserve it, Iyer should have slapped me, my father didn’t speak to me till the finals. I was casual, I was walking on the beach not even in the garden. It was a crucial time, Shreyas was clear that I didn’t expect this from you but later he took me out for dinner.” “Whatever I have spoken to others and seen, there is no better captain than him in current times in world cricket. He gives us freedom, he treats everyone equally. No one will say, Shreyas has an attitude. The youngsters in the dressing room find him to be a chill bandaa. Shreyas is the only captain, who has told us that if anyone has any suggestion during the game, he can come and convey it to him. If he feels it’s the right advice, he will take it. It’s rare,” he added.

“I never anticipated a full toss” – Shashank Singh on facing RCB pacer in the final over of the IPL 2025 summit clash

Shashank Singh said he was surprised at facing Josh Hazlewood’s full toss during the IPL 2025 final. He said in the same interaction:

“Mentally, my mind was ready to get a first ball yorker from Hazelwood. So I had positioned myself but I never anticipated a full toss one, that too on my thigh pad. Now I feel, if I would have connected it, even if I got it on the handle of the bat, I would have got maximum, because the fine-leg was near. I was hoping for a wide from him but it never came. When I saw the scoreboard stating the last ball needed 12 runs, I knew it’s all over.”

PBKS needed 31 runs off the final over, but Shashank managed 24 as the team fell short by six runs. With 341 runs at a strike rate of 153, Shashank Singh finished as the second-highest run-scorer for PBKS in IPL 2025.

Edited by Samya Majumdar