IPL 2025: Jaiswal, Archer, Theekshana shine as PBKS start home leg with 50-run loss to RR

Mullanpur (Punjab) [India], April 5 (ANI): A hard-hitting half-century by Yashasvi Jaiswal and top bowling spells from Jofra Archer, Sandeep Sharma and Maheesh Theekshana helped Rajasthan Royals (RR) secure a 50-run win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) clash at Mullanpur on Saturday.

With this loss, PBKS has suffered their first defeat of IPL 2025 and have started their home leg with a setback. They are at fourth spot with two wins and a loss, whereas RR are at seventh place with two wins in two matches.

During the run-chase of 206 runs, PBKS was off to the poorest start possible as Jofra Archer removed Priyansh Arya for a golden duck on the first ball of the innings and in-form skipper Shreyas Iyer for 10 in five balls, reducing PBKS to 11/2 in one over.

Marcus Stoinis fell to a soft dismissal to Sandeep Sharma, who caught and bowled him for one in seven balls. PBKS was 26/3 in 3.3 overs.

At the end of six overs in the powerplay, PBKS was 43/3, with Nehal Wahdera (8) and Prabhsimran (17) unbeaten.

Prabhsimran Singh fell to Kumar Kartikeya for 17 in 16 balls, with a fine catch by Wanindu Hasaranga. PBKS was 43/4 in 6.2 overs.

Nehal was joined by Glenn Maxwell and the duo started to build a partnership. The 10th over by Kumar Kartikeya was a pressure-relieving one for PBKS as they got 19 runs with two sixes and two fours. At 10 overs, PBKS was 78/4, with Nehal (29) and Maxwell (14) unbeaten.

A fifty-run stand was up between these two in just 33 balls. PBKS reached the 100-run mark in 12.3 overs.

Wadhera reached his half-century, first in Punjab colours in 33 balls, with two fours and three sixes.

However, the 88-run stand between the duo ended as the spin duo of Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga came in action on back-to-back balls. Maxwell played a cameo of 30 in 21 balls, with three fours and a six, while Wadhera made 62 in 41 balls, with five fours and three sixes. PBKS was 131/6 in 15.1 overs.

PBKS missed boundaries and lost wickets, as Suryansh Shedge (2) and Marco Jansen (3) got out cheaply. PBKS was 145/8 in 17.4 overs.

PBKS ended their innings at 155/9 in their 20 overs, with Shashank Singh (10) and Lockie Ferguson (4) unbeaten.

Jofra Archer (3/25) was the pick of the bowlers for RR. Sandeep (2/21) and Theekshana (2/26) also delivered sensational four-over spells.

Left-hand batter Yashavi Jaiswal’s exceptional fifty and right-hand batter Riyan Parag’s unbeaten cameo powered the Rajasthan Royals (RR) to a mammoth total of 205/4 in their 20 overs against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) team at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, Chandigarh, on Saturday.

The PBKS skipper won the toss and opted to bowl first in this encounter. Skipper Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal came out in the middle to open the innings for the visitors.

The RR touched the 50-runs mark on the second ball of the sixth over as Samson slammed a boundary on the bowling of off-spinner Glenn Maxwell.

Samson and Jaiswal put on a fiery 89-run stand. But a fine catch from Iyer removes Samson for 38 in 26 balls, with six fours. Lockie Ferguson got the breakthrough. After the end of 10.2 overs, RR were 89/1.

Following Samson’s dismissal, right-hand batter Riyan Parag came out to bat in the middle to bat along with Jaiswal. The Sanju Samson-led side crossed 100 runs in the 12th over. In the same over, Jaiswal completed his first half-century in the ongoing 18th edition of the cash-rich league.

The second wicket of the innings fell in the 14th over as Jaiswal was sent back to the pavilion after scoring 67 runs off 45 balls, which came with the help of three fours and five sixes.

After Jaiswal’s wicket, left-hand batter Nitish Rana came out to bat in the middle along with Parag, but he was sent back to the dressing room after scoring just 12 runs in the 15th over on the bowling of left-arm seamer Marco Jansen when the team score was 138 runs.

Left-hand batter Shimron Hetmyer came out to the crease next to bat, along with Parag in the middle.

The batting side completed the 150-run mark on the penultimate ball of the 16th over as Parag smashed a boundary on the bowling of left-arm fast bowler Arshdeep Singh.

Hetmyer was the fourth one to fall in Rajasthan’s innings. The southpaw was removed in the 19th over. He was dismissed on the bowling of Arshdeep when the side was at 185.

The Rajasthan-based franchise finished the first innings at 205 runs with the loss of four wickets after the completion of 20 overs, with Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel unbeaten on the crease.

For the Punjab side, two wickets were snapped by Lockie Ferguson (2/37 in 4 overs) and one wicket each was grabbed by Arshdeep Singh (1/35 in 4 overs) and Maco Jansen (1/45 in 4 overs) in their respective spells.

Brief Score: Rajasthan Royals 205/4 in 20 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 67, Riyan Parag 43*; Lockie Ferguson 2/37) vs Punjab Kings.