Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 The high-octane drama continues with the 29th match in between Punjab Kings (PBKS) And Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) Mullanpur International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh was also no exception to this. The atmosphere was heated on Sunday evening as two mid-table teams battled for vital points. However, the highlight of the night was not just the explosive batting or the sharp yorkers; It was a moment of inexplicable sloppiness in fielding that left the veteran ricky ponting Smoke in the dugout.
Ricky Ponting expresses disbelief at Shashank Singh’s poor fielding in PBKS vs LSG match
Tension reached its peak during the death overs of the first innings. In the 18th over, when LSG were trying to maximize their total, Arshdeep Singh A wide, full-length ball bowled well-set aiden markram. Markram cuts the ball high towards the deep point region. Shashank SinghJoe, who was struggling with a dropped catch early in the innings, appeared to be suffering from a significant crisis of confidence while tracking the ball.
In what can only be described as a brain draining moment, Shashank got the trajectory completely wrong. Instead of running or diving to block a high shot, he slowed down, seemingly letting the ball sail smoothly over the ropes. To the horror of the PBKS fans and coaching staff, the ball landed straight on the boundary cushion, well within Shashank’s physical reach had he made a genuine effort.
As soon as the umpire signaled for a six, Arshdeep looked angry and raised his hands in anger. However, the real story was in the PBKS dugout. The camera immediately panned to head coach Ponting, who had a mask of pure disappointment on his face. Ponting, the man who redefined fielding standards during his historic career AustraliaBorderline was seen shaking his head in complete disbelief at the lack of intent shown. For a strategist who preaches 100% effort, seeing a potential wicket convert into a maximum after not being able to chase the target was a bitter pill to swallow.
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PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer consoling Shashank after the match
Cricket is a game of intense emotions, but the Punjab Kings camp quickly shifted from frustration to damage control after the final ball was bowled. Despite tensions mid-game, scenes after the match demonstrated the strong camaraderie within the team.
Touching display of leadership, PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer, Shashank, fondly nicknamed ‘Sarpanch’ by fans for his community-centric leadership style, was seen approaching a dejected Shashank. Recognizing that the fielder was probably his harshest critic at the time, Iyer jokingly used his hands to hide Shashank’s face as they passed the coaching staff, sparing him another potentially stern look from Ponting.
After the excitement of the match subsided, Ponting also became cold. The great Tasmanian was seen embracing Shashank during the post-match handshake, and offered words of encouragement rather than a lecture. While Ponting knew better than anyone that catching was regulated by international standards, the focus turned to keeping player morale high for the remainder of the season. In the high-pressure cauldron of IPL 2026, PBKS proved that mistakes on the field are costly, but the bond in the dressing room remains their biggest asset.
See also: Musheer Khan amusingly imitates Shreyas Iyer on the plane to Mullanpur ahead of PBKS vs LSG match
