Royal drubbing for Punjab Kings: RR beat PBKS by 50 runs in IPL, Yashasvi Jaiswal shines with 45-ball 67 runs
Punjab, in their chase of 206, have been limited to 155 for 9 in 20 overs
Mullanpur: Rising star Yashasvi Jaiswal’s timely return to form with a sparkling fifty and fiery blows from Jofra Archer spoiled Punjab Kings’ homecoming as Rajasthan Royals secured a handsome 50-run win in the IPL here on Saturday.
Once Rajasthan built a tall 205 for four around Jaiswal’s stroke-filled 67, it was never going to be easy for Punjab, and they were limited to 155 for 9. Nehal Wadhera played a lone hand with a 41-ball 62 for them.
Archer (3/25), seamer Sandeep Sharma (2/21) and spinner Maheesh Theekshana (2/26) also bowled with precision, while Kumar Kartikeya and Wanindu Hasaranga provided fine support.
In fact, Punjab’s chase never got the desired lift-off. Archer set the tone for target-defence with a ripping start, dismissing Priyansh Arya (0) and the in-form Shreyas Iyer (10) in successive overs — just when the latter looked threatening while slamming two terrific shots off the English pacer.
Arya went for a big swing but got it all wrong, exposing his stumps to be castled emphatically. The in-form Iyer, who was yet to be dismissed in the tournament with scores of 97* and 52* from two innings, looked in sublime touch.
He crunched a drive over extra cover and followed it up with another gorgeous shot through the offside. But Archer had the last laugh, hurrying Iyer with sheer pace as the batter’s effort to go inside-out resulted in him getting bowled.
Sandeep added to the early damage by removing Marcus Stoinis (1), while left-arm spinner Kartikeya, introduced into the attack next, struck another blow by dismissing Prabhsimran Singh (17).
From a precarious 43/4 after the Power Play, Punjab Kings’ hopes were revived through a fighting 88-run fifth-wicket partnership between Wadhera and Glenn Maxwell (30 off 21) that came off just 52 balls.
Having impressed as an Impact Sub with a 25-ball 43 not out on debut against Lucknow Super Giants the other day, Wadhera continued his form with a counter-attacking 33-ball fifty.
He took the attack to Hasaranga and Kartikeya during his knock studded with three sixes and four fours, while Maxwell provided solid support as the pair brought the equation down to a gettable 85 required from the last six overs.
With Wadhera in charge, the chase was heading in the right direction until Theekshana pulled things back, dismissing Maxwell (30 off 21 balls).
Wadhera soon followed, falling to Hasaranga and from there the chase fell apart and PBKS suffered their first defeat of the season.
Earlier, the 23-year-old Jaiswal, who had endured a lean patch in the opening three games with scores of 1, 29 and 4, roared back to form with a fluent 40-ball fifty (3×4, 5×6) just when the spotlight on him was shifting off the field following his surprise move from Ranji heavyweights Mumbai to minnows Goa.
Shutting the noise around him, Jaiswal and skipper Sanju Samson (38 off 26 balls) gave RR their best start of the season with an opening stand of 89 after PBKS skipper Iyer opted to bowl.
Lockie Ferguson (2/37) dismissed both Samson and Jaiswal against the run of play in the middle overs, and Nitish Rana (12) also got out cheaply as RR lost three wickets in the 11-15 overs phase.
The dangerous Shimron Hetmyer (20 off 12 balls) also could not get going after an explosive start.
But Riyan Parag (43 not out off 25 balls) provided the late fireworks with three sixes and as many fours to lift Royals past the 200-mark for the first time at this venue.
