TATA IPL 2025 Match 18 , PBKS vs RR – Match Report
Rajasthan Royals (RR) continued their strong form in the TATA IPL 2025 with a commanding 50-run victory over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Match 18 at the New PCA Stadium, New Chandigarh. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s composed half-century and Jofra Archer’s fiery three-wicket haul powered the Royals to their second successive win, while Punjab suffered their first loss of the season.
Playing their first home game of the season, Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer won the toss and opted to bowl. Rajasthan, led by Sanju Samson, back as a full-time captain after playing the first three games as an Impact Player, responded with an authoritative performance with the bat.
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Yashasvi Jaiswal and Samson gave RR a dream start, putting up a solid 89-run opening stand, the highest opening partnership for Rajasthan in IPL 2025 so far. The duo rotated the strike smartly and punished the loose deliveries, keeping the pressure on Punjab’s bowlers.
Lockie Ferguson provided the breakthrough in the 11th over by dismissing Samson for a fluent 38 off 26 balls. Jaiswal, who initially took his time to settle, shifted gears after reaching his first half-century of the season with a four and a six off Yuzvendra Chahal. But Ferguson returned with a clever slower ball to uproot Jaiswal’s stumps for 67 off 45 in the 14th over.
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Riyan Parag then took charge and finished strongly for the Royals. Although Nitish Rana and Shimron Hetmyer fell in the process, Parag’s unbeaten 43 off 25 balls, aided by Dhruv Jurel’s five-ball 13*, guided RR to a formidable 205/4. Notably, it was the first time any team had breached the 200-run mark at this venue in IPL history.
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Punjab Kings, chasing a stiff 206-run target, stumbled early and never recovered. Jofra Archer set the tone with a sensational opening over. He cleaned up opener Priyansh Arya with a delivery that crashed into the top of the off stump on the very first ball of the chase and then knocked over the in-form Shreyas Iyer with a peach to close the over – two wickets in six balls.
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Sandeep Sharma then removed Marcus Stoinis for just one, and Punjab were reduced to 26/3 inside four overs. Prabhsimran Singh and Nehal Wadhera tried to rebuild, but Kumar Kartikeya broke the stand by dismissing Prabhsimran right after the powerplay.
Wadhera and Glenn Maxwell launched a mini-fightback with an 88-run stand. Wadhera led the charge and brought up his fifty, but their resistance ended abruptly. Maheesh Theekshana removed Maxwell on the final ball of the 15th over, and Wanindu Hasaranga struck on the first ball of the next over to dismiss Wadhera for 62 (41). Dhruv Jurel’s superb diving catch at deep mid-wicket was a crucial moment that turned the game firmly in Rajasthan’s favor.
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From needing 75 runs in 29 balls with four wickets in hand, PBKS quickly fell apart. Sandeep Sharma dismissed Suryansh Shedge, Theekshana sent Marco Jansen packing, and Archer returned in the final over to dismiss Arshdeep Singh and seal the win.
Jofra Archer’s fiery spell of 3/25 earned him the Player of the Match award as PBKS ended their innings at 155/9. RR climbed up to the seventh spot with this 50-run win, whereas PBKS fell to fourth place in the standings.
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