Shresta Iyer, sister of Indian cricketer Shreyas Iyer, has finally responded to the wave of online abuse directed at her and her family over a viral IPL-related video. The backlash began after a light-hearted reel she made with the Punjab Kings social media team following PBKS’ rain-hit clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 2026 IPL season.

The washed-out game, played on April 6, saw the then high-flying Punjab Kings settle for a single point against Shreyas Iyer’s former franchise, KKR. In the video, Shresta and the team jokingly suggested that KKR were fortunate to walk away with a point because of the rain. However, after PBKS suffered a dip in form and eventually missed out on a playoff spot by a narrow margin, social media users began blaming the video and calling it “bad karma.”

Shreyas Iyer’s sister Shresta trolled KKR for giving away “1 free point” due to rain interruption.

Now the gap between KKR and Punjab Kings is just 2 points.
PBKS are almost near elimination from the IPL 2026 playoffs.

Cricket is the greatest leveller. Always stay humble. ☠️🔥 pic.twitter.com/12vSwutDu4

— AdityaVarma (@AdityaVarma45_) May 17, 2026

After weeks of trolling, Shresta, a choreographer, dancer, and content creator, addressed the issue on Instagram, saying the reel was never meant to offend anyone and was simply harmless banter in support of her brother’s team.

“The video that I had created earlier, you guys exaggerated it to extremes, when the motive of the reel was just a fun banter,” Shresta said. “I was just supporting my brother’s team. I wasn’t trolling anyone; I had no bad intentions behind the banter. I wasn’t spreading hate against anyone. I respect every cricketer because my brother is a cricketer.”

She also revealed that the abuse had gone far beyond social media comments, with trolls allegedly targeting people around her, including colleagues and students she trains.

A post shared by Shresta Iyer (@shrestaiyer29)

“I pity you guys,” Shresta added. “You have been calling my workplace, abusing me, my colleagues, my students, and my family. Harassing them and calling at random times. You are crossing all your limits.”

“You are messaging students whom I train. This much hate? You are abusing me, so that should be enough. Why are you reaching out to the students? This is not right? I am not here to tell what is right or wrong. You guys will continue to do this. I just want to show the people who support you what you guys are doing.”

A post shared by Shresta Iyer (@shrestaiyer29)

Despite the online harassment, Shresta maintained that she would continue supporting and celebrating her brother publicly.

“I will celebrate my brother. When he wins, I will always celebrate him. In cricket, wins and losses are part of the game. But to abuse families, sisters, and wives is not right,” she said. “For those who are saying that this is my Karma, all those who have abused my family and me will also bear the brunt of their karma.”