IPL 2026: 5 dropped catches in 3 matches — PBKS star Shashank Singh faces mounting criticism
Shashank Singh's fielding struggles continued as Punjab Kings suffered a 33-run defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Singh dropped a crucial catch of Heinrich Klaasen, who went on to score 69, significantly impacting the match. This latest lapse adds to a growing concern for PBKS, with Singh having dropped five catches in his last three games.
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.
— StarSportsIndia (@StarSportsIndia) 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.