PREITY EFFECT: Punjab Kings team owner Preity Zinta engages with Yuzi Chahal in a crisp interview filled with affection and respect

There is a certain romance about every team in the Indian Premier League. And when one talks of the best in terms of consistent performances, the name of the Punjab team does not come on top. Rewind to the initial years of the IPL, when it was called Kings XI Punjab, the top performance was a final appearance, 11 years ago.

The new name for the team is Punjab Kings. For sure, there is new energy and new enthusiasm this year, with Shreyas Iyer as captain and Ricky Ponting as coach. For a side which had stalwarts like Virender Sehwag, Shikhar Dhawan and even KL Rahul in the past, the bull run in the 2025 IPL season has been praiseworthy. There is every reason to believe the Punjab side will make it to the Playoffs this time.

For those who think only Shreyas Iyer, the captain, and Ricky Ponting the coach have made all the difference, there is a big mentor behind as well. And that is Preity Zinta, the Bollywood actress, who has seen the highs and lows standing with the team. If one looks at just the role of Preity Zinta in terms of ownership, her holding is at 23 per cent. But the real impact is how she spend so much time with the players and the team.

The ever-smiling face of the actress who has ensured the team will never be seen in poor light is a big positive. For those who follow the IPL teams, the owners play a big role in visibility. From N.Srinivasan in yesteryears at Chennai Super Kings to Nita Ambani at Mumbai Indians, their presence was more than visible. Likewise, Shahrukh Khan is the face of Kolkata Knight riders. What is special about Preity Zinta is her calm and charm. Even if the Punjab side had not done well in previous editions of the IPL, there was no adverse reaction from her. Not one player or coach has uttered a bad word against her.

For someone who has been a big star in Bollywood from her rocking roles in movies like Kal Ho Naa Ho, which was on the big screen 22 years ago, she then charmed the cine fans with her roles in Veer-Zaara and Dil Chaahta Hai. Each one of these movies was a blockbuster hit, though this was before the IPL was conceived. It is expected, her next movie Lahore 1947, produced by Ammir Khan will also be a big one, in 2025.

Indeed, for the glamour girl of yesteryears, the IPL is a big assignment. From the time of the auction held in Dubai last December, Preity was actively involved. The way the team bid for Shreyas Iyer (Rs 26.75 crores) and Yuzvendra Chahal (Rs 18 crores) was massive. Punjab Kings had the budget but the right spend was more important.

On Friday, after Punjab defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a low-scoring match, Preity Zinta did a short and sweet interview with Yuzi Chahal. Anchors in cricket shows are usually former players. So, to see Preity Zinta engage with Yuzi was a welcome change. She showed her natural side of being a mentor who loves her players and cares for them.

The way Yuzi gushed about how Shreyas Iyer had talked to him and the motivation was big, it went to show the philosophy of Punjab Kings. For sure, Preity Zinta knows her cricket as well as the former cricketers who wield the microphone. So, when she talked of pressure,  snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, since the RCB total was just 111, it was an insight. At the same time, she was emoting well and explained how much a win means to her as a team owner.

There was a bit of ‘Dil Chaahta Hai’ in it as she does want to see the team peak this year in the IPL. Uniquely, she has given credit to all the people who are part of the Punjab Kings side. Mind you, this was not just a PR interview put out on social media. The engagement showed how players and performances are respected by starlet Preity Zinta.