Rajasthan Royals pulled off a thrilling chase to defeat Punjab Kings by six wickets in a run-heavy contest, successfully overhauling 222 with four balls to spare in New Chandigarh. Contributions from Donovan Ferreira, Shubham Dubey, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ensured RR handed PBKS their first defeat of IPL 2026.
Ferreira’s unbeaten 52 and Dubey’s late flourish proved decisive, with the pair adding 77 runs from just 32 balls for the fifth wicket to turn the chase in RR’s favour.
PBKS Post 222 After Late Surge
Punjab Kings got off to a brisk start, led by Priyansh Arya, who showcased his attacking intent early in the powerplay. Despite an initial chance going down, he struck a series of bold shots to help PBKS race to 29 without loss after two overs.
Jofra Archer responded with pace and bounce, eventually dismissing Arya, while Prabhsimran Singh kept the scoreboard moving. PBKS reached 65 in the powerplay, though Prabhsimran lacked full fluency.
Cooper Connolly added a quick 30 off 14 balls before falling to a Yash Raj Punja delivery, while Prabhsimran brought up his half-century from 35 balls. Rajasthan’s bowlers, particularly Punja and Ravindra Jadeja, applied control through the middle overs, restricting PBKS to 95 runs between overs seven and 16 while picking up key wickets.
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Marcus Stoinis then provided a powerful finish, smashing an unbeaten 62 from 22 balls. His late assault, including a 24-run final over off Brijesh Sharma, helped PBKS add 62 runs in the last four overs to post 222 for 4. Yuzvendra Chahal also impressed with the ball, finishing with 3 for 36.
Royals’ Explosive Start
Rajasthan’s chase began at a rapid pace, with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continuing his strong form. He raced to 43 from just 16 balls, striking boundaries at will and helping RR reach 50 in only 19 deliveries.
After Sooryavanshi’s dismissal, Yashasvi Jaiswal took over, accelerating the scoring and reaching his half-century off 26 balls. RR were well placed at 84 for 1 after the powerplay.
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PBKS Fight Back Through Spin
Punjab Kings regained some control through their spinners. Harpreet Brar delivered a tight spell, conceding just 25 runs in four overs, while Chahal made key breakthroughs.
He dismissed Dhruv Jurel, followed by Jaiswal soon after his fifty, and then removed Riyan Parag for 29 off 16, bringing PBKS back into the contest with RR needing 72 from 36 balls.
Ferreira and Dubey Seal the Chase
With the required rate climbing to 12 per over, Ferreira and Dubey took charge. Targeting the pace bowlers after the spinners completed their quotas, the duo shifted momentum quickly.
Dubey struck boundaries off Marco Jansen in the 16th over, while Lockie Ferguson was taken for 16 runs in the 19th. Arshdeep Singh also proved expensive at the death, conceding heavily in his final overs.
Ferreira finished the match in style, hitting a six over long-on to bring up his half-century and seal victory. The Royals completed the chase at 228 for 4, earning two crucial points and moving up to third place.
