Preity Zinta Tears Into Third Umpire Over Unacceptable Mistake, Says “Karun Nair…”

Punjab Kings co-owner Preity Zinta wasn’t a happy person after a defeat against the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 match on Saturday all but cost her team a plce in the top 2 spots of the points table. PBKS needed to beat DC in order to keep the Qualifier 1 qualification hopes into their own hands but the defeat in the encounter now leaves them on the mercy of other franchises. For Zinta, who watched the match from closed quarters, said that a costly error by the third umpire in the match contributed to her team’s defeat.

In the 15th over of the first innings, PBKS star Shashank Singh seemed to have hit Delhi’s Mohit Sharma for a six. On the boundary rope, Karun Nair grabbed the ball and pushed it inside the boundary rope, though he signalled that it was a six as his foot touched the rope. As the third umpire ran the checks, no evidence of Nair’s foot touching the boundary rope was found. Hence, the Punjab batter was only allotted a single run.

Zinta, however, fumed at the umpire after the match, suggesting that even Nair said that it should’ve been a six.

“In a such a high profile tournament with so much technology at the Third Umpire’s disposal such mistakes are unacceptable & simply shouldn’t happen. I spoke To Karun after the game & he confirmed it was DEFINITELY a 6 ! I rest my case ! #PBKSvsDC #IPL2025,” Preity Zinta wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Despite Nair’s confirmation that it was a six, the third umpire’s decision left many in the Punjab Kings camp puzzled. 

The defeat against DC means that PBKS have a lot to play for in their final league game of the campaign against Mumbai Indians, another franchise looking to nail a top two spot.