Shreyas Iyer’s sister, Shresta Iyer, has spoken out strongly after facing massive online abuse following Punjab Kings’ elimination from the IPL 2026 playoff race. PBKS’ hopes officially ended after Rajasthan Royals defeated Mumbai Indians, leaving the franchise just one point short of qualification. Despite a promising start to the season, Punjab Kings suffered six consecutive defeats, and even a final victory over Lucknow Super Giants could not save their campaign.

The controversy began when Shresta posted a light-hearted Instagram reel with members of the PBKS social media team during the tournament. In the video, she jokingly referred to gifting a point to Kolkata Knight Riders after a rain-hit match ended without a result. What was intended as harmless banter soon turned ugly, as social media trolls flooded her posts with abusive comments, threats, and personal attacks.

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Responding to the backlash, Shresta clarified that the reel was never meant to insult any player, franchise, or fanbase. She explained that the content was created purely for fun and carried no hateful intent. Stressing her deep respect for the game, she said that being the sister of an international cricketer has made her fully aware of the emotional pressure and scrutiny players deal with regularly.

🚨 Shreyas Iyer’s sister, Shresta Iyer who trolled KKR by making videos and did some cringe stuff, is now asking for sympathy and saying that everyone who is trolling her is jobless. 😭😭

– She is also saying that she respects all the cricketers and all, but she is the same… pic.twitter.com/lNAW4fvyI2

— Ahmed Says (@AhmedGT_) May 25, 2026

However, the situation reportedly escalated beyond social media. Shresta revealed that trolls began targeting people connected to her personally and professionally, including her workplace, colleagues, students, and family members. She condemned the behaviour and called out those allegedly making abusive calls at odd hours.

While she admitted that criticism directed at her could be tolerated, Shresta urged fans not to involve innocent people in online cricket-related outrage. She also reaffirmed her unconditional support for her brother, stating that she would always stand by him regardless of wins or losses.

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The incident came shortly after reports emerged that Australian batter Travis Head’s wife also received rape threats following his on-field clash with Virat Kohli, once again highlighting the dark side of online cricket fandom.