'Iyer should have slapped me': Shashank Singh on run-out fiasco
What's the story
Punjab Kings's (PBKS) batter Shashank Singh has admitted that he deserves to be "slapped" by his captain Shreyas Iyer.
The confession comes after a controversial run-out incident in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 second qualifier against Mumbai Indians (MI).
Despite the scolding from Iyer, Shashank praised him as the best captain in world cricket today.
Here are further details.
Incident details
How Shashank got run out
In the high-stakes match, PBKS were chasing 208 and Shashank was dismissed in the 17th over.
He was caught short by Hardik Pandya, who pulled off an impressive run-out attempt.
The batsman admitted that he was too casual while running and didn't expect Pandya to go for the attempt.
"I deserve it, Iyer should have slapped me," he said about that fiasco, as per The Indian Express.
Fortunately for PBKS, they won the match thanks to Iyer's majestic 87* (41).
Family reaction
'My father didn't speak to me till the finals'
The aftermath of the run-out was so severe that even Shashank's father chose to remain silent on the matter until the day of IPL 2025 final.
The batsman said, "My father didn't speak to me till the finals."
He also revealed that he was so casual during the chase that he felt like he was "walking on a beach not even in a garden."
Captain's response
Iyer took Shashank out for dinner to ease tension
Having been upset with Shashank's dismissal, Iyer did express his disappointment after the game.
He was disappointed by the manner of Shashank's dismissal and even skipped shaking hands with him post-match.
However, later on, the captain took his teammate out for dinner to ease the tension between them.
"There is no better captain than him in current times in world cricket. He gives us freedom, he treats everyone equally," Shashank praised Iyer, who helped PBKS finish as runners-up.
Player outlook
Next season will belong to Punjab Kings, says Shashank
Despite the run-out incident, Shashank has had a good season with PBKS.
He concluded the IPL 2025 season with 350 runs at 50.00 (SR: 153.50).
He slammed three half-centuries throughout the season, including a 30-ball 61* against RCB in the final, albeit in a losing cause.
The batsman credited coach Ricky Ponting for changing his mindset and Iyer for backing him since Day One.
As the conversation ended, he predicted that next season will belong to Punjab Kings.