LSG vs PBKS: The ongoing IPL 2026 season has seen its share of high-octane cricketing action. But a massive off-field controversy has taken the spotlight before the much-anticipated clash between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) on May 23, 2026. Punjab Kings social media influencer Jasmeet Singh Bhatia has kicked up a huge online storm by calling Australian wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis a “traitor” and a “pimp” (dalla) in a viral video clip, sparking deep resentment between the player and his former franchise.
What Made Jasmeet Singh Bhatia Talk Foul About Josh Inglis?
That bad blood goes back to the end of the 2025 season. Inglis had a sensational debut season for Punjab Kings smashing 278 runs in 11 matches and played a key role in taking the franchise to IPL final.
Josh Inglis done exactly what he told Punjab Kings, it was PBKS fault who released him at 2.4 crore, this cringe PBKS admin was calling him “dalla” etc before the start of IPL even their owner Ness Wadia also made statement against Josh Inglis.
Hope Josh Inglis humble them today pic.twitter.com/miXeozq3oG
— कट्टर INDIA समर्थक 🦁🇮🇳 ™ (@KKRWeRule) May 23, 2026
However, things turned sour for Inglis ahead of the IPL 2026 mega auction as he revealed that he won’t be available for the upcoming season due to a wedding in early April. The revelation came late and PBKS released him at a cheap price. Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia slammed the Australian star for the way he dealt with the matter, saying his late communication was “not very professional”.
Josh Inglis “Betrayal” to the Mega Auction
And to make matters worse for management, the franchise’s social media content creators fired back. In a recently gone viral video, Jasmeet Singh Bhatia used derogatory words like “dalla” (pimp) and openly accused Inglis of “dhokha” (betrayal).
Inglis was one of the hottest properties at the IPL 2026 mega auction despite the bad blood. Lucknow Super Giants bought him in the auction for a huge Rs 8.6 crore. Inglis was thrown straight into the mix with his marriage commitments joining the LSG squad early May and getting off to an immediate start with two blistering half-centuries under his belt. He hit a sensational 85 from 33 balls against Chennai Super Kings and a blazing 60 off 29 balls against Rajasthan Royals.
PBKS vs Josh Inglis: Revenge Game Awaits at Ekana
On Saturday, May 23, Lucknow Super Giants will go head to head against Punjab Kings at the Ekana Cricket Stadium and it promises to be a story-laden clash. Punjab’s derogatory comments on a professional player have seen fans react on social media with several neutrals now hoping for an Inglis masterclass.
Punjab Kings are fighting to keep themselves alive in the tournament with the ultimate threat of their own squad decisions coming back to haunt them. All eyes will be on the pitch to see if Inglis can get his perfect sporting revenge on his vocal critics.
Debayan Bhattacharyya is a seasoned sports journalist and digital media professional, currently serving as the Chief Sub Editor at ITV Digital (NewsX). A true Football-Fanatic Bong, his professional journey began at Zee Media, where he kicked off his career as a Sub-Editor for the sports team at India.com and CricketCountry. His ability to blend insightful analysis with rapid-fire news delivery soon led him to Times Network, where he served as a Senior Copy Editor for Times Now. Before his current role at NewsX, Debayan spent a significant tenure at OneIndia’s MyKhel as a Senior Sub Editor.
