Punjab Kings co-owner Preity Zinta has strongly condemned a digitally altered image circulating on social media that falsely showed her hugging Rajasthan Royals’ teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
Zinta took to social media to clarify the image was morphed and expressed her disbelief that some news outlets were using the fake picture to run misleading stories.
The image in question began doing the rounds shortly after Rajasthan Royals faced Punjab Kings in Jaipur during the IPL 2025 league stage. In reality, Zinta and Suryavanshi did meet briefly after the match – a moment that was shared by RR’s official social media channels in a short, respectful clip.
However, someone took a screenshot from that video and morphed it into a more intimate pose, sparking gossip and misinformation online.
What made matters worse was that at least one media outlet published a story using the doctored image, prompting Zinta to issue a strongly worded clarification. Sharing the post on X (formerly Twitter), she wrote:
“This is a morphed image and fake news. Am so surprised now news channels are also using morphed images and featuring them as news items!”
The original post has since been taken down following backlash, but not before it had been widely shared and commented upon. Several users were quick to spot the editing and called out the spread of misinformation, particularly given Suryavanshi’s young age and Zinta’s public standing.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi, just 14 years old, has been one of the biggest discoveries of the IPL 2025 season. Despite Rajasthan Royals failing to make the playoffs, the young left-handed opener has drawn praise from cricketing legends and fans alike for his fearless strokeplay and composure beyond his years.
Earlier this week, in RR’s final league game against Chennai Super Kings, Suryavanshi smashed 57 off 33 balls to help his team chase down 188 with ease.
That innings capped off a breakthrough season for the youngster, who had already grabbed headlines earlier by hitting the second-fastest hundred in IPL history – and becoming the youngest player to do so.
The fake image controversy has drawn attention not just for its deceptive nature, but also for raising concerns about digital ethics in sports journalism and social media. As Zinta rightfully pointed out, the spread of morphed visuals – especially involving minors – undermines credibility and can have serious consequences.
With Suryavanshi's stock rising rapidly and IPL viewership at its peak, incidents like these serve as a reminder for media houses and fans alike to verify before amplifying.
