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Prince Yadav faces online backlash from Virat Kohli fans after dismissing the RCB star in the IPL 2026 encounter

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Prince Yadav faces online backlash from Virat Kohli fans after dismissing the RCB star in the IPL 2026 encounter

The 50th match of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium was nothing short of a high-octane drama. In a rain-curtailed 19-over encounter on Thursday, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) secured a gritty 9-run victory via the DLS method against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). While Mitchell Marsh’s explosive 111 off 56 balls set the stage for LSG’s mammoth 209/3, the night belonged to young pacer Prince Yadav, whose clinical bowling display turned the tide but also sparked a controversial firestorm online.

Prince Yadav credits the mastermind responsible for Virat Kohli’s early dismissal in IPL 2026

Chasing a daunting target of 213, RCB’s innings started in catastrophic fashion. Prince, steaming in with the new ball, produced the moment of the match in the second over. After Mohammed Shami dismissed Jacob Bethell, Prince clean-bowled Virat Kohli for a 2-ball duck with a delivery that nipped back sharply to rattle the stumps.

The young pacer didn’t stop there; he finished with stellar figures of 3/33 in 4 overs, also accounting for the dangerous Devdutt Padikkal (34) and Jitesh Sharma (1). Speaking at the post-match presentation, Prince remained incredibly humble, revealing that his victim was actually his mentor.

“I misfielded the first ball, but I knew I had to put it behind me and ensure I don’t lose focus,” Prince Yadav stated. “After the last match, I was talking to Virat bhaiya and he only told me—as long as it’s moving around off a length, stick to that length. I was just following his advice today. We lost six consecutive matches, but we will continue to put in efforts,” Prince revealed during the post-match presentation.

Despite Rajat Patidar’s valiant 61 off 31 balls and late cameos from Krunal Pandya (28*) and Tim David (40), RCB finished at 203/6, falling just short of the target.

Also READ: Top 5 youngest overseas players to score a century in IPL ft. Cooper Connolly

While Prince’s performance was a textbook example of a breakout game, the aftermath on social media highlighted the toxic underbelly of sports fandom. In India, where cricket is viewed as a religion and Virat is worshipped as a demi-god, Prince’s feat of dismissing the legend for a duck was met with vitriol rather than applause.

Immediately following the dismissal, Prince’s Instagram account was flooded with thousands of abusive comments and derogatory remarks from self-proclaimed fans of the former Indian captain. The irony was lost on the trolls: Prince had used the very advice Kohli gave him to improve his game.

This dark side of fandom serves as a stark reminder of the pressure young athletes face. Despite delivering a match-winning performance for his franchise, breaking a six-match losing streak for LSG, the young bowler had to navigate a wave of unhinged digital negativity. The cricketing community has since come out in support of Prince, urging fans to respect the spirit of the game and celebrate the rise of domestic talent rather than vilifying success.

Here’s how fans reacted:

Also READ: Prince Yadav reveals the mastermind behind his stunning dismissal of Virat Kohli for a duck in IPL 2026

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