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Punjab Kings signed Shreyas Iyer for Rs 26.75 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction, whereas Rishabh Pant joined Lucknow Super Giants for Rs 27 crore.
Preity Zinta slams fake news. (Picture Credit: Instagram/@realpz and PTI)
Indian Premier League side Punjab Kings co-owner Preity Zinta took to X on Saturday (April 19) to refute the reports of Mohali-based franchise signing Shreyas Iyer over Rishabh Pant in the mega auction last year on the basis of performance.
An X user on Saturday morning had claimed that PBKS wanted a big performer, so they went after the 30-year-old Mumbai batter.
“Rishabh Pant had said in an interview that I could go anywhere but not to Punjab Kings. But now Punjab owner Preity Zinta exposed Rishabh Pant and said, “We had both Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer – options we could have taken in the team. But we wanted a big performer, not a big name… so we took Shreyas Iyer in the team,” an X user tweeted.
Reacting to the news, Zinta said, “I’m so sorry, but this is FAKE NEWS !”
I’m so sorry but this is FAKE NEWS !— Preity G Zinta (@realpreityzinta) April 19, 2025
Pant and Iyer were part of the Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders squads, respectively, in IPL 2025, but they were not retained by them, after which they entered the mega auction and attracted big deals. While Iyer joined PBKS for Rs 26.75 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction, Pant was signed for Rs 27 crore by the Lucknow Super Giants.
Pant is the most expensive player in IPL history, but he has failed to perform with the bat so far. In seven matches for LSG with the help of one half-century, Pant has amassed a total of 103 runs, and on the other hand, Iyer has scored 257 runs in seven matches for Punjab Kings. He has crossed the 50-run mark on three occasions and led PBKS to five wins in seven matches played so far.
Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by five wickets in the rain-hit IPL 2025 match played on Friday night at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to take the 2nd position in the points table. Both the teams will face each other once again on Sunday afternoon at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, Chandigarh.
PBKS have won two out of three IPL 2025 matches played so far in Mullanpur, whereas RCB have won all four matches played away from home.
- Location :
Chandigarh, India, India
