When Punjab Kings are finding it tough to change their fortune on the field after they slumped to their fifth successive loss on Thursday, their off field conduct is also going viral and the latest involves pacer Arshdeep Singh.
A video featuring Arshdeep and Mumbai Indians batter Tilak Varma has gone viral on social media, with some users criticising the PBKS pacer over a remark made before Thursday’s IPL 2026 match against MI. In the clip, Arshdeep is heard calling Tilak “Oi, andhere”, a slang term that roughly translates to “Hey, darkness.” The comment sparked backlash online, with several users saying the phrase carried racial undertones.
Arshdeep, who is quite active on social media and regularly shares vlogs and fun moments with fellow cricketers, faced criticism from a section of fans after the video surfaced. Although Arshdeep and Tilak share a friendly bond off the field, many users were unhappy with the comment.
Earlier, Punjab Kings’ star spinner Yuzvendra Chahal recently became the centre of attention after a video allegedly showing him vaping on a flight went viral online.
The franchise, couple of days ago had issued a statement on its social media handles urging people to refrain from spreading misinformation concerning the franchise and its players. The franchise after posting the statement deleted it, and reposted it again with few changes.
“Criticism, banter, and opinions are part of sport. Fake stories and made-up narratives for cheap engagement are not. We urge everyone, especially “sports journalists”, to verify facts before spreading misinformation for attention or traction,” PBKS first posted this on X.
However, they deleted it and reposted it again. In the second post they had removed the “sports journalists” bit to avoid more controversy on social media.
“Criticism, banter, and opinions are part of sport. Fake stories and made-up narratives for cheap engagement are not. We urge everyone to verify facts before spreading misinformation for attention or traction,” the new post read.
Preity Zinta, the co-owner of Punjab Kings, also reacted to the franchise’s original statement before it was later deleted.
“There’s a difference between criticism & calculated misinformation. Healthy debate around the game is welcome, but the deliberate spread of fake narratives to damage individuals, the team, or the brand should not & will not be taken lightly. I urge everyone — including verified voices & media professionals — to exercise responsibility before amplifying unverified information. Thank you,” Zinta wrote on X.
