Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Punjab Kings batter Shashank Singh has once again found himself under heavy scrutiny after another costly fielding lapse during PBKS’ 33-run defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2026 on Wednesday.What began as an isolated mistake earlier in the season is now turning into a major concern for Punjab Kings, with Shashank having dropped five catches across his last three matches — a worrying trend at a crucial stage of the tournament.
The latest error came at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad when Shashank dropped a crucial chance offered by Heinrich Klaasen off Yuzvendra Chahal’s bowling. At that point, Klaasen was batting on just nine runs.The SRH batter made Punjab pay dearly for the missed opportunity, hammering 69 off 43 deliveries and completely shifting the momentum in Hyderabad’s favour.
Costly fielding lapses hurt PBKS again
Shashank’s latest drop added to an already difficult IPL season in the field.Earlier, he had put down three catches against Lucknow Super Giants and also dropped KL Rahul during Punjab’s clash against Delhi Capitals. One of those moments against LSG became particularly viral after he badly misjudged a boundary catch attempt.Shashank had recently returned from a hamstring strain that forced him to miss matches against Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans, but his struggles continued immediately upon comeback.Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting admitted the batter was enduring a rough phase.“Poor Shashank Singh, it seems the ball is flying everywhere he’s going,” Ponting remarked during the match.Punjab skipper Shreyas Iyer also pointed directly towards the dropped chances after the loss.“It was a bit too much because we dropped catches at the start. The wicket kept getting slower. They played comprehensive cricket and showed us how to win the match,” Iyer said. “We weren’t that comprehensive enough on the field, nor in bowling, nor in batting.”Meanwhile, Punjab’s fielding woes overall proved costly against SRH. Cooper Connolly dropped Ishan Kishan early in the innings, while Lockie Ferguson and Prabhsimran Singh also missed crucial opportunities.The reprieves allowed SRH to post a massive 235/4, powered by Klaasen’s 69 and Kishan’s 55.In reply, PBKS were restricted to 202/7 despite Cooper Connolly’s sensational unbeaten 107.The defeat marked Punjab’s third successive loss, although they still remain second on the points table with six wins in 10 matches. SRH, meanwhile, climbed to the top with seven wins from 11 games.
