Jaipur: In what turned out to be a thrilling high-scoring encounter at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, Punjab Kings (PBKS) edged past Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 10 runs in the 59th match of IPL 2025. With both teams boasting strong batting line-ups, the crowd was treated to a power-packed spectacle of boundaries and sixes. The match saw standout performances from Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, and Dhruv Jurel, but ultimately it was PBKS who held their nerve in the final overs to seal a much-needed win.
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📰 Match Summary
The Punjab Kings (PBKS) delivered a power-packed performance to overcome Rajasthan Royals (RR) by a narrow margin of 10 runs in a nail-biting contest at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur. It was a classic IPL run-fest featuring dominant batting displays, high strike rates, and crucial death-over drama.
PBKS piled up a massive 219/5 thanks to blistering knocks from Nehal Wadhera (70 off 37) and *Shashank Singh (59 off 30), with a late flourish by *Azmatullah Omarzai (21 off 9). Despite Yashasvi Jaiswal (50 off 25) and Dhruv Jurel (53 off 31) putting up a solid chase, RR fell short in the final overs and ended at 209/7, losing momentum when it mattered most.
📊 First Innings – Punjab Kings Batting: 219/5 (20 Overs)
🔝 Top Performers:
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Nehal Wadhera: 70 (37) – 5 fours, 5 sixes, SR: 189.19
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Shashank Singh: 59* (30) – 5 fours, 3 sixes, SR: 196.67
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Azmatullah Omarzai: 21* (9) – 3 fours, 1 six, SR: 233.33
🧊 Early Wobbles:
PBKS started shakily with Priyansh Arya (9 off 7) and Prabhsimran Singh (21 off 10) both dismissed early by Tushar Deshpande, who bowled with tight lines in the powerplay. Mitchell Owen was dismissed for a duck, raising early concerns in the PBKS camp.
🔥 Wadhera Turns the Tide:
Then came a remarkable counterattack from Nehal Wadhera, who played freely across the ground. He unleashed boundaries at will and stitched a crucial partnership with skipper Shreyas Iyer (30 off 25) that resurrected the innings and laid the foundation for a big score.
🎯 Power Finish:
With the Royals losing grip in the death overs, Shashank Singh and Azmatullah Omarzai capitalized with a flurry of sixes, adding 80+ runs in the final 5 overs. RR’s death bowling looked helpless as the Kings reached an imposing 219.
📊 Second Innings – Rajasthan Royals Batting: 209/7 (20 Overs)
💥 Explosive Start:
💥 Explosive Start:RR started with a bang as Yashasvi Jaiswal blazed his way to 50 off just 25 balls (9 fours, 1 six). He was well supported by debutant Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who impressed with a fearless 40 off 15 balls, scoring at a stunning strike rate of 266.67.
⚖️ Middle-Order Collapse:
Despite a strong base, the Royals lost momentum as Sanju Samson (20 off 16) and Riyan Parag (13 off 11) departed in quick succession. Samson’s wicket to Omarzai triggered a slowdown, as Hetmyer (11 off 12) struggled to find rhythm and rotate strike.
🛡️ Jurel’s Lone Fight:
The innings saw a revival through Dhruv Jurel, who hammered 53 off 31 balls with 4 sixes. His calculated aggression gave RR fans hope, but the lack of support at the other end and effective PBKS bowling at the death stifled the chase.
🧱 Tail-End Tries:
Shubham Dubey, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Kwena Maphaka tried to close the gap, but the task proved too steep. RR finished 10 runs short, ending their innings at 209/7.
🎯 Key Bowling Performances (PBKS)
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harpreet Brar | 4 | 35 | 3 |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | 4 | 36 | 2 |
| Marco Jansen | 4 | 39 | 2 |
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Harpreet Brar stood out with his triple strikes, dismantling the Royals’ top and middle order.
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Omarzai and Jansen handled the crucial overs effectively, especially in the death, preventing boundaries at critical moments.
🏟️ Venue Impact: Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
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Traditionally seen as a batting-friendly surface, Jaipur once again lived up to its reputation.
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Small boundaries and true bounce offered batters the opportunity to play aggressive cricket.
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Spinners, especially those with variation like Harpreet Brar, extracted grip and bounce in the middle overs.
Conclusion
This match reaffirmed PBKS’s status as a dangerous side when their middle order fires. Their ability to recover from early setbacks and post a daunting total was commendable. RR, while valiant in their chase, were left to rue their lack of impact with the ball and inability to convert starts into big innings.
With this win, PBKS stays alive in the playoff race, while RR must quickly regroup and address their bowling woes.
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