PBKS vs RR | Twitter reacts as Jaiswal’s dominance and Royals’ disciplined bowling end Punjab Kings’ winning streak

Debayan Sinha

ByDebayan Sinha,SportsCafe Editor

41
BCCI

Rajasthan Royals handed Punjab Kings their first defeat of the season with a 50 run win at Mullanpur. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 67 off 45 guided RR to 205/4, while Punjab's chase was spearheaded by Nehal Wadhera and Glenn Maxwell's 88 runs but ultimately failed to win due to Rajasthan's clinical bowling.

‌The newly constructed Mullanpur Stadium in New Chandigarh hosted its maiden game of the season, with Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer winning the toss and electing to bowl first. Early assistance from the surface helped the pacers in the first two overs but Rajasthan Royals openers Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal quickly seized control. The duo batted fluently and guided their side to 53/0 by the end of the powerplay. Despite a brief slowdown in scoring due to tight spells from Yuzvendra Chahal and Marcus Stoinis, the Rajasthan pair kept the scoreboard ticking and reached 85/0 at the halfway mark. Just as the opening stand looked set to escalate further, Lockie Ferguson provided the breakthrough in the 11th over by removing Samson. However, Jaiswal continued his aggressive approach and notched up a fifty off 40 balls. Ferguson struck again in the 14th over to dismiss the in-form left-hander, triggering a brief middle-order wobble. Nitish Rana failed to make an impact and departed in the 15th over with the score at 138/3. Riyan Parag then stepped up with a brisk 36 off 23 deliveries and accelerated the momentum into the innings. Although Shimron Hetmyer struggled and fell in the 19th over, a quick cameo from Dhruv Jurel (13 off five) and Parag’s unbeaten 43 off 25 helped Rajasthan Royals post 205/4 at the end of their 20 overs.

 

Punjab’s chase of 206 began on a disastrous note, as Jofra Archer struck twice in the opening over to remove Priyansh Arya and skipper Shreyas Iyer. The early blows put the hosts on the back foot, and their troubles deepened when Marcus Stoinis fell in the fourth over. Prabhsimran Singh too couldn’t make a substantial impact and departed for 17 off 16 balls. At 59/4 in nine overs, Punjab found themselves in a precarious position with Nehal Wadhera and Glenn Maxwell at the crease. However, the duo sparked a shift in momentum, stitching together a 52-run stand that revived hopes for the home side. By the end of the 12th over, Punjab had reached 95/4, and with the required rate climbing to 14 runs per over, the pressure was mounting. The Mullanpur crowd came alive when local favourite Nehal Wadhera brought up his half-century off just 33 deliveries, and gave Punjab a glimmer of hope. With 75 needed off the final five overs, Maheesh Theekshana delivered a decisive blow by dismissing the dangerous Glenn Maxwell. The setback was compounded in the very next over when Wadhera also perished, triggering a shift in momentum back to Rajasthan. With new batters Suryansh Shedge and Shashank Singh at the crease, Punjab faced an uphill task and were in desperate need of a late flourish to keep their hopes alive.Tight spells from Wanindu Hasaranga and Sandeep Sharma in the 16th and 17th overs further dented Punjab’s hopes of a comeback. Marco Jansen’s dismissal left Shashank Singh as the lone warrior, and the hosts eventually crumbled, finishing at 155/9 as Rajasthan sealed a 50-run win.

 Whats happening there!

Victory!

Sanju's RR!

what a player!

Nice Catch!

Good one!

Yeah!

Well played!

RR Dominance!

True!

Yeah!

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