Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer was in the headlines after poking fun in an interaction with Bollywood actress Sahiba Bali. The playful exchange occurred right after PBKS secured their first win of IPL 2025 with a convincing victory over the Gujarat Titans.
Bali joined the IPL commentary crew for 2025 and was set to interview Iyer before the cricketer quipped “What are you doing here?”. Bali is popular as a Bollywood actress and has not been in many features as a sports presenter. However, this isn’t her first TV role, but Iyer aimed to poke fun at her being a part of the recent IPL commentary panel.
This exchange made the headlines as fans highlighted Iyer’s light-hearted comment which signalled his jovial personality.
Sahiba Bali Bio
| Attribute | Details |
| Full Name | Sahiba Soni Bali |
| Date of Birth | December 5, 1994 |
| Age | 31 years |
| Birthplace | Kashmir, India |
| Education | -Bachelor’s in Economics (Delhi University) -Master’s in Marketing (Durham University Business School) -Professional course in Business Administration from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford |
| Occupation | Actress, content creator, marketing professional, host |
| Family | Father: Amardeep Bali Mother: Sujata Soni Bali |
| Physical Attributes | Height: Approx. 5’3” (161 cm) |
Some Interesting Facts about Sahiba Bali
1. Bali has a thriving career in Bollywood and marketing. She maintains her roles in the creative and corporate fields while showcasing her abilities as a TV personality.
2. Sahiba holds degrees from top institutions in India and abroad including Delhi University and a certificate course at the University of Oxford.
3. Bali has held brand management roles at a top marketing firm in India.
4. Sahiba’s passion for acting was ignited in her school days when she took part in drama clubs and street plays.
5. She has acted in diverse roles across films and web series since her break into the hyper-competitive Bollywood industry.
6. Bali is a familiar face on reality TV where she works as a host on Shark Tank India (Season 4).
7. She has a huge follower base on Instagram. Her social media fame boosts her profile as a top content creator and influencer in India.
8. Sahiba maintains a rigorous workout routine despite her busy schedule.
9. Bali is passionate about exploring new cuisines and shares content on her tastes with followers on social media.
How Many Well-Known Presenters Work with Bali at IPL 2025?
Sahiba Bali will collaborate with 100+ well-known analysts and pundits throughout the IPL 2025 season. She is set to work directly with popular presenters like Jatin Sapru and Mayanti Langer throughout the season.
Kuldeep Sen Heaps Praise on Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer’s teammate Kuldeep Sen believes the PBKS were right to make the talented batter squad captain. Iyer left his role as captain at the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) after leading the franchise to their third-ever IPL title.
Iyer’s new teammate Sen believes the cricketer can deliver vital support the team needs for success:
“Shreyas is a wonderful player and a captain. In the first match, he led the team so brilliantly. It’s a long a tournament and the teams needs his tactics and tricks to succeed,” Sen said.
Iyer’s teammate suggests that the skipper meeting up with players after each game has given them chances to improve. He also reports significant changes going on regarding PBKS’ approach to controlling runs during games after Iyer became captain:
“After the game, we all spoke about the areas where we need to improve. So far in this season, all the matches have been high scoring and that becomes a big challenge for the bowlers. At that time, the bowlers have to figure how to control runs on the pitches where the ball in coming directly onto the bat,” he added.
Sen hails remarkable bowling under Iyer’s captaincy vs GT
Sen also believes leadership was an important factor behind PBKS’ revamped bowling vs the Titans.
“Talking about the game against GT, we performed well as a bowling unit. There were some overs where we leaked many runs but the way we made a comeback with Vijaykumar Vyshak and Arshdeep Singh’s over, it was truly commendable,” Sen concluded.
Iyer bagged 97 runs off 42 balls vs the Gujarat Titans (GT) with nine 6s and five 4s included in his side 243 for 5 final tally. Prabhsimran Singh’s early dismissal gave Iyer all the goods to establish a solid partnership with newbie Priyansh Arya as the dislodged a determined but incapable GT side.
