The Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) on Tuesday (April 29) witnessed yet another close encounter as Delhi Capitals lost to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
The 14-run win made no favours to Delhi as the battle for Playoffs intensified. Amid that tussle, the netizens were left shell-shocked when Kuldeep Yadav appeared to have slapped Rinku Singh during the post-match conversation. So what is the truth behind it and will Kuldeep get fined for the same?
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Kuldeep Yadav slaps Rinku Singh
During the post-match, a video appeared to have shown the moment where Kuldeep not once but twice slapped Rinku. While the incident may look violent, there appears to be no friction between the players and the gesture was only part of banter. While Rinku was left stunned, there appeared to be no friction between the duo who represent Team India at the international level while also sharing the dressing room for Uttar Pradesh in the domestic circuit.
Both Rinku and Kuldeep share a close friendship and have played competitive cricket together, dismissing any rumours of friction. The duo has been part of India’s T20I setup in recent times and are expected to continue to feature in the coming months. Notably, both will look to cement their place in the T20 World Cup squad as the tournament is set to start in February 2026.
‘Kuldeep tried to end the career of Rinku Singh by slapping him,’ wrote one of the netizens.
While another fan called out BCCI and asked for action, writing ‘dear @BCCI! Wht stops u to ensure stern action against @imkuldeep18 over such a shameful incident. Ths act is highly condemnable and requires immediate disciplinary action. Even @IPL @DelhiCapitals should also take appropriate action against #kuldeepyadav.’
Thrilling race for Playoffs
Needing 205 runs to win the match, DC fell short of the target by 14 runs as they now sit fourth in the IPL 2025 standings. The win for KKR also sees them keep their hopes of a top-four finish alive as they are just three points behind Delhi. Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings are also in the race for Playoffs but are currently outside the top four.