SHREYAS IYER COURTSIDE AS HARYANA THUNDERS SNATCH PWL 2026 CROWN
NOIDA, U.P. — The Noida Indoor Stadium erupted Sunday night as the Haryana Thunders edged out the Delhi Dangal Warriors 5-4 to lift the Pro Wrestling League 2026 championship. But for cricket fans, the action wasn’t just on the mat.
India ODI Vice-Captain Shreyas Iyer was the center of attention in the VIP box, spotted alongside reality TV star Elvish Yadav and Bollywood actress Shehnaaz Gill. While the Thunders celebrated a razor-thin victory in the title clash, social media buzzed with clips of Iyer engaging with fans and enjoying the downtime before his IPL duties kick into high gear.
Mat-Side Drama & The VIP View
The final itself was a classic. The tie was deadlocked at 4-4 heading into the decider. The tension broke only when Haryana’s Iryna Koliadenko delivered a masterclass in the women’s 62kg bout, sealing a 16-0 technical superiority win to hand her team the trophy.
Iyer, fresh off the bench from India’s 4-1 T20I series win against New Zealand, seemed in high spirits despite his lack of game time. The 31-year-old posed for selfies and was seen deep in conversation with Yadav throughout the high-stakes bouts.
“It came down to the final second, the final move. We knew the pressure was on, but this team doesn’t crack. To win it like this, in front of this crowd—it’s everything we worked for.” — Yui Susaki, Haryana Thunders Captain
What’s Next: The IPL 2026 Factor
For Iyer, the leisure time is ticking away. While he has been ruled out of the T20 World Cup 2026 squad—set to begin February 7 in India and Sri Lanka—his focus now shifts entirely to the IPL 2026 season commencing March 26.
Iyer enters his second year as captain of the Punjab Kings (PBKS). After guiding the franchise to a runner-up finish in his debut season (falling short against Rajat Patidar’s RCB), the pressure is on to go one step further. With a squad bolstering heavy hitters like Marcus Stoinis and Arshdeep Singh, Iyer will be desperate to convert those 1,104 career T20I runs and leadership experience into Punjab’s maiden title.
