Did Punjab Kings Delete 49/1 Post After Preity Zinta’s Verdict on Fake Narratives?

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Published - May 13, 2026, 07:34 AM

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Punjab Kings released a strongly worded message late Tuesday night as speculation involving the franchise and a few of its players continued to spread online. Although the statement avoided mentioning the rumours specifically, the team appealed to the public not to share unverified information through a post on its official social media platforms.

The post was later taken down and uploaded again with slight modifications. The franchise was also in trend because of their recent tweet, which fans consider a mock tweet for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Punjab Kings 49/1 Tweet Sparks Controversy in IPL 2026

Punjab Kings initiated a major discussion on social media on April 28 after their official X account posted “49/1” during a strong power play showing against Rajasthan Royals. Many fans believed it was a clear reference to one of the best teams in IPL, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s total of 49 all out against the Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2017.

The Punjab Kings controversy gained more attention as PBKS were not playing RCB that day, and was seen as a direct attempt to mock the Bengaluru franchise. The tweet drew even more interest later when the Punjab Kings struggled in the tournament, especially after four consecutive losses.

Notably, they have not even deleted the controversial tweet, and fans across social media repeatedly brought back the post, claiming the joke had backfired badly on the Punjab Kings and turned into an embarrassing moment for the franchise.

Preity Zinta Issues Statement Over Fake Narratives

Before the original post was removed, Punjab Kings co-owner Preity Zinta had also shared her views through the franchise statement, condemning the circulation of false narratives and accusing certain sections of media professionals of intentionally spreading misleading content to harm the reputation of both the players and the team.

"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.

Apart from their inconsistent performances on the field, the Punjab Kings have recently been dealing with several off-field talking points as well. One of the best players in IPL, Yuzvendra Chahal, came under the spotlight after a clip appearing to show him smoking during a flight began circulating across social media platforms. Meanwhile, discussions involving opener Prabhsimran Singh have also surfaced, with fans debating about an increase in his body weight.