Yograj Singh, the former Indian cricketer and father of World Cup hero Yuvraj Singh, has stirred the pot with a scathing attack on Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer following their heartbreaking loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL 2025 final. In a blunt and emotional outburst, Yograj labelled Iyer as the “criminal” responsible for Punjab’s seven-run defeat, a result that denied the franchise its first-ever IPL title.
The incident in question took place at a critical juncture of the run chase, when Iyer, having anchored the innings till then, opted to go for a risky boundary shot off Romario Shepherd. Attempting to cut a short ball outside off, he edged it behind to wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma, throwing away his wicket at a time when the team was heavily dependent on him. PBKS, chasing 191, faltered after Iyer’s dismissal, despite a valiant unbeaten 61 off 30 balls by Shashank Singh.
Yograj Singh, clearly frustrated, lashed out during an interaction with IANS: “There was only one criminal in Punjab’s loss, and that was Shreyas Iyer. After guiding the team all tournament, why would he play such a reckless shot in a final? Who gave him the right to throw away a match like that?”
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The former India pacer didn’t hold back, accusing Iyer of letting arrogance creep into his game. “No one is bigger than the sport. When you think you’re above the game, cricket has a way of humbling you,” Yograj remarked. He drew a sharp contrast with legends like MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh, who, according to him, were true finishers capable of steering games under pressure without losing composure.
Yograj acknowledged that Iyer was a major factor in Punjab’s run to the final, scoring 604 runs in 17 games at a blazing strike rate of 175. However, he stressed that it’s the big moments that define leaders, and in this case, Iyer fell short. “Yes, he helped take Punjab to the final. But what matters is what you do when it counts most. And he failed.”
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Yograj concluded his tirade by saying, “It’s heartbreaking. For me, the only person to blame for that loss is Shreyas. I’m not just disappointed—I’m furious. That shot cost us the title.”
Chandigarh: Former Indian cricketer Yograj Singh says, “In yesterday’s match, there was only one criminal — Shreyas Iyer, captain of the Punjab team… When you think you are so big, this is what happens…” pic.twitter.com/V97n9yOLub
— IANS (@ians_india) June 4, 2025
