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Rajasthan Royals (RR) pulled off one of the most thrilling run chases of IPL 2026 as they defeated Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six wickets in Match 40 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium. Chasing a daunting target of 223, RR showed remarkable intent with the bat and crossed the line in just 19.2 overs, finishing at 228/4 and sealing a statement victory in a high-scoring contest.
After winning the toss, Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag opted to bowl first, hoping to make use of the conditions under lights. However, Punjab Kings came out with aggressive intent and posted a massive 222/4 in their 20 overs, thanks to explosive knocks from Prabhsimran Singh and Marcus Stoinis.
Marcus Stoinis finishes in style after strong PBKS foundation
Punjab Kings got off to a flying start as Priyansh Arya attacked from the very first over, smashing 29 off just 11 balls with five boundaries and a six. His quick cameo gave PBKS early momentum before Prabhsimran took charge of the innings with a composed yet aggressive 59 off 44 deliveries, including six fours and a six.
Shreyas Iyer added stability in the middle order with a steady 30 off 27 balls, while Cooper Connolly injected fresh momentum with a fiery 30 off just 14 balls, striking three sixes. The real fireworks, however, came from Stoinis in the death overs. The Australian all-rounder played a brutal unbeaten knock of 62 off only 22 deliveries, smashing four fours and six towering sixes to push Punjab beyond the 220-run mark.
For Rajasthan Royals, young spinner Yash Raj Punja impressed with two wickets for 41 runs and provided crucial breakthroughs by dismissing Cooper Connolly and Prabhsimran Singh. Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger picked up one wicket each, though RR bowlers largely struggled to contain the flow of runs.
RR’s fearless batting makes light work of big target
Chasing 223, Rajasthan Royals responded with fearless cricket right from the start. Young sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi set the tone with a blistering 43 off just 16 balls, hammering five sixes and putting immediate pressure on the Punjab bowling attack. Yashasvi Jaiswal then carried the momentum forward with a classy 51 off 27 deliveries, finding the boundary seven times and adding one six.
Although Dhruv Jurel had a relatively quiet outing with 16 off 20 balls, skipper Parag kept the required rate under control with a quick 29 off 16 balls. Once he departed, Donovan Ferreira took over and played one of the defining knocks of the season.
Ferreira smashed 52 off just 26 balls with six fours and three sixes, ensuring Rajasthan stayed ahead in the chase. Shubham Dubey then applied the finishing touch with a blazing unbeaten 31 off 12 deliveries, guiding RR home with four balls to spare.
Punjab Kings’ bowling unit had a forgettable evening despite defending a huge total. Arshdeep Singh and Lockie Ferguson were taken apart, conceding 68 and 57 runs respectively in their four-over spells. Marco Jansen also proved expensive, while Harpreet Brar was the only economical option with figures of 0/25.
Veteran leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal fought hard and picked up three wickets for 36 runs, briefly giving Punjab hope in the middle overs. However, the rest of the attack failed to provide support as Rajasthan’s batting lineup dominated the chase.
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Here’s how fans reacted:
Trade of Donovan Ferreira working wonders for RR.
Who would have not played if Sam Curran wasn’t injured ?
Yashasvi Jaiswal was brilliant as usual.
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan)
Donovan Ferreira IS A BEAST 💪
— PUMA Cricket (@pumacricket)
DONOVAN FERREIRA FINISHES OFF IN STYLEEEEE 💗
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals)
An excellent chase from the Royals 💪
— betvisa68.com (@CricketTimesHQ)
Yashasvi Jaiswal handing the orange cap to Vaibhav Suryavanshi. ❤️
– The JaiSurya of RR. 😄
— Faltu Gyaan (@QuirkyDose)
DONOVAN FERREIRA : THE GAME CHANGER
• Rajasthan royals won by 6 wickets
• He snatched win from PBKS
• He is real hero of Rajasthan royals in today's game
• He scored 52*
• Shubham dubey scored 31 runs— Prasaanth (@prasaanth_07)
Punjab lost its first match in IPL 😔
— Sarthak (@SarthakThoughts)
No shame for PBKS! 💪 They fought like TRUE warriors all season long 🔥 The batting depth they showed today? Absolute 💎
Almost 1 month, 40 matches , heads held HIGH! 🦁
This Punjab side ain't done yet! 👊— CricketDecoded (@UnfilteredBoiX)
Sarpanch saab needs to figure out his bowling combinations asap
— Ishaan Gupta (@ishaangupta2008)
Jurel bhai tez khela karo nahi toh playoff mein match harva doge aap.
— Abhishek Mishra (@AbhishekMi88270)
Arshdeep singh is focusing on everything well apart from his line and length and his bowling
— Ishaan Gupta (@ishaangupta2008)
CSK couldn’t even pick Donovan Ferreira, despite him already playing for their setup in SA20 and MLC. Serious questions on Fleming’s talent scouting and eye for finishers. Ferreira was outstanding tonight absolutely smashed PBKS.
— 100rav X (@HereToTroll72)
