05 April,2025 11:26 PM IST | Mullanpur | mid-day online correspondent
Photo: iplt20/bcci
Rajasthan Royals secured a commanding 50-run victory over Punjab Kings in their IPL 2025 encounter on Saturday, powered by a sublime half-century from opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and a fiery spell from England pacer Jofra Archer.
Opting to bowl first, PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer might have rued his decision as Rajasthan Royals piled on a formidable 205/4. Jaiswal led the charge with a fluent 67 off 45 balls, well-supported by skipper Sanju Samson (38 off 26) and a late flourish from the in-form Riyan Parag, who remained unbeaten on 43.
Despite a brief middle-overs wobble, the Royals capitalized on the final overs, thanks to Parag and Dhruv Jurel, who ensured a strong finish.
In response, Punjab Kings crumbled under early pressure as Jofra Archer (3/25) wreaked havoc with the new ball, reducing them to a precarious 43/4. The innings was briefly revived by a resilient 88-run partnership between Nehal Wadhera (62) and Glenn Maxwell (40), but their dismissals in quick succession extinguished Punjab's hopes of a comeback.
The Royals' bowlers maintained a stranglehold in the death overs, with Sandeep Sharma (2/21) and Maheesh Theekshana (2/26) complementing Archer's early breakthroughs. Punjab eventually crawled to 155/9 in their 20 overs, falling well short of the target.
Brief scores:
