PBKS owner Preity Zinta denies the untrue Rishabh Pant claim, saying, “This is FAKE NEWS.”

Preity Zinta, a co-owner of the Punjab Kings (PBKS), has noted that false information regarding the team’s IPL 2025 auction strategy is making the rounds on social media. Zinta put an end to rumours that the team selected Shreyas Iyer over Rishabh Pant because of performance-based preferences when she responded to a widely shared post on X (previously Twitter) and called the assertions fake news.

The dispute started when an X user claimed that Iyer was chosen over Pant by Zinta and the PBKS administration because he was a big performer rather than a well-known figure.

Preity Zinta phoney comment was referenced in the piece.

“I could go anywhere,” Rishabh Pant had stated in an interview, “but not to Punjab Kings. We had both Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer—options we could have used in the team—but now Punjab owner Preity Zinta has exposed Rishabh Pant. However, the user stated, “We wanted a big performer, not a big name, so we took Shreyas Iyer into the team.”

The proprietor of PBKS, however, addressed the allegations and labelled them as false. She wrote, “I’m so sorry, but this is FAKE NEWS.”

Rishabh Pant had said in an interview that I could go anywhere but not to Punjab Kings.

But now Punjab owner Preity Zinta exposed Rishabh Pant and said, “WE HAD BOTH RISHABH PANT AND SHREYAS IYER- OPTIONS WE COULD HAVE TAKEN IN THE TEAM. BUT WE WANTED A BIG PERFORMER, NOT A BIG… pic.twitter.com/FT9CVuC65W

— Gurlabh Singh (@gurlabhsingh610) April 19, 2025

Both players received record-breaking bids at the IPL 2025 auction. Iyer went to Punjab Kings for INR 26.75 crore, while Pant was acquired by the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for an incredible INR 27 crore.

With just 103 runs in seven innings and one half-century, against the Chennai Super Kings, Pant has come under fire for his lacklustre play. Other than two ducks, his outings have been inconspicuous.

Iyer, on the other side, was selected captain of PBKS after leading Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the IPL championship the previous year. His 257 runs in seven games, including a 97*, have been crucial to Punjab’s success this season, helping the side take second place in the standings.

Following a rain-shortened 14-over match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Chinnaswamy Stadium, PBKS emerged victorious. The Kings took five wickets in their pursuit after holding RCB to 95/9.