Yashasvi Jaiswal scored his first half-century of IPL 2025 to help the Rajasthan Royals post 205/4. Jofra Archer led the bowling attack with figures of 3/25.
Rajasthan Royals, led by Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jofra Archer, produced a clinical all-round performance to defeat the Punjab Kings in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 match in New Chandigarh on Saturday.
Put into bat first, Rajasthan Royals became the first IPL team to score over 200 runs at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, posting 205/4 in 20 overs. Yashasvi Jaiswal top scored for the Royals with a 45-ball 67.
Bowlers, led by Jofra Archer, inflicted the season’s first defeat on Punjab Kings after restricting them to 155/9. Archer was the Rajasthan Royals’ top wicket-taker, finishing with figures of 3/25.
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The win took Rajasthan Royals to seventh spot on the IPL 2025 points table. The Royals, who have a Net Run Rate of -0.185, are tied with six teams on four points.
Sanju Samson, leading the Royals for the first time this season, set the tone with a brisk start alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal as Rajasthan Royals posted their first 50-plus opening wicket stand of the campaign. The pair put on 53 in the powerplay, laying the foundation for a formidable total.
The 89-run opening stand was broken in the 11th over when Samson, looking to go aerial over mid-off, mistimed one to Shreyas Iyer and departed for a well-made 38 off 26 balls.
Riyan Parag walked in at No. 3 and took his time to settle while Jaiswal kept the tempo high, bringing up his half-century off 40 balls.
Jaiswal then smashed 17 runs off the next four deliveries before falling in the 14th over for a blistering 67 off 40 balls, laced with three fours and five sixes.
Nitish Rana, the Player of the Match in the Royals’ previous outing against Chennai Super Kings, signalled his intent with a boundary first ball but was dismissed after a quick-fire 13 off seven deliveries.
Cameos from Shimron Hetmyer (20 off 12) and Dhruv Jurel (13* off 5) kept the momentum going but it was Parag’s late surge that lifted the Royals past the 200 mark. From 12 off 14, he accelerated smartly to finish unbeaten on 43 off 25, guiding Rajasthan Royals to a commanding 205/4.
Earphones lagao. Ek baar suno. Phirse suno. TAKKKK 💥 pic.twitter.com/dlYkqIzu3C
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) April 5, 2025
Jofra Archer set the tone with a fiery opening over, rattling Priyansh Arya’s off stump with a 144.6kph thunderbolt first up before castling Shreyas Iyer with the last ball of the over.
Sandeep Sharma struck in the fourth over, pulling off a sharp return catch to dismiss Marcus Stoinis and reduce Punjab to 26/3.
Rajasthan’s Impact Player Kumar Kartikeya joined the party, removing Prabhsimran Singh in the seventh over to keep the pressure firmly on Punjab Kings.
Glenn Maxwell and Nehal Wadhera threatened to wrest back control with a counter-attacking 88-run stand off just 52 balls. Their aggressive strokeplay briefly tilted the momentum but Rajasthan Royals hit back with quick wickets.
Maheesh Theekshana broke the partnership by removing Maxwell with the final ball of the 15th over and Wanindu Hasaranga struck immediately in the next, accounting for Wadhera and effectively sealing the deal.
Sandeep, Jofra and Maheesh completed the formality and wrapped up a comprehensive 50-run victory for the Rajasthan Royals.
Rajasthan Royals will face Gujarat Titans in their next IPL 2025 match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.
Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals, IPL 2025, brief scores: RR 205/4 in 20 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 67; Lockie Ferguson 2/37) beat PBKS 155/9 in 20 overs (Nehal Wadhera 62, Jofra Archer 3/25) by 50 runs.