Yograj Singh Lashes Out At Shreyas Iyer For Reckless Shot In IPL 2025 Final: “It Was a Criminal Offence”

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Shreyas Iyer's rash dismissal in the IPL 2025 final has sparked intense criticism, with former India cricketer Yograj Singh delivering one of the harshest assessments yet.

Iyer, who led Punjab Kings in the season, was expected to anchor the chase in the high-pressure final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. However, his stay at the crease was short-lived, and his poor shot selection may have cost his team the title.

After Punjab Kings restricted RCB to 190/9, expectations were high for Iyer, especially following his match-winning 87* in Qualifier 2 against Mumbai Indians. But when he walked out to bat at No. 4 after the dismissal of Prabhsimran Singh, he lasted just two balls. Iyer scored only one run before edging a delivery from Romario Shepherd to wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma, falling to a loose shot that many deemed unnecessary under the circumstances.

Among the critics, Yograj Singh was particularly scathing. Speaking to ANI, the former fast bowler didn't mince his words. "The shot which Shreyas Iyer played in the final was a criminal offence, according to me. Ashok Mankad told me about this criminal offence, which comes under Section 302," Yograj said.

"He also told me that the repercussions of this is that you will be banned for two matches. What Shreyas did yesterday is not acceptable. There is no apology for that," he added.

Punjab Kings eventually fell just six runs short, making Iyer's dismissal one of the key turning points of the final.

Despite the heartbreak, Iyer tried to remain optimistic about the team's future. Speaking at the post-match presentation, he said, "The job is still half done, we have to be here and win the trophy next year. Positives, definitely the way we turned up and every individual stepping up and saying that he can win the match, there are so many youngsters in the team, I'm sure they've gained a lot of experience from these matches, and when they come next year, they will carry immense experience with them. We can build some tactics and strategies around that so that we can play some decent cricket."

The final may have slipped through Punjab's fingers, but the fallout from Iyer's decision-making continues to dominate headlines.