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In RR vs PBKS Match PBKS’s chase began disastrously, with Jofra Archer delivering a dream start for RR. His first ball was a peach—144.6 kph, perfect length, moving from leg to off, and crashing into Priyansh Arya’s off-stump for a golden duck. Archer wasn’t done yet; he struck again in the same over, dismissing the in-form Shreyas Iyer for 10. Iyer,
who had started confidently with two crisp cover drives off Archer, was undone by a fiery 151 kph short ball that unsettled him, leading to a wild slog and his eventual downfall. By the end of the powerplay, PBKS were reeling at 4 wickets down, with Archer’s pace and RR’s varied bowling attack—featuring Sandeep Sharma and Maheesh Theekshana—exploiting the early seam movement and bounce.
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The 18th Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 match between the RR vs PBKS took place at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, Chandigarh, on April 5, 2025. After a good start with two straight victories, PBKS suffered their first loss of the season as RR won by a decisive 50-run score. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s and Jofra Archer’s outstanding performances helped RR win handily. The game displayed a combination of explosive batting, disciplined bowling, and tactical genius.
Yashasvi Jaiswal Stars, Samson Supports with Classy Knock
The match began with PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer winning the toss and opting to bowl first, citing the uncertainty of the pitch in its first game of the season and the team’s confidence in chasing. RR, led by Sanju Samson in his first match as captain this season after recovering from a finger injury, fielded a strong batting lineup featuring Jaiswal, Samson, Riyan Parag, and others. The decision to bowl first seemed promising for PBKS initially, as their new-ball pair of Arshdeep Singh and Marco Jansen found early swing and kept RR’s openers in check. Jaiswal, who had struggled in the tournament so far with scores of 1, 29, and 4, started scratchily, scoring just 12 off his first 14 balls. However, a bit of luck and time in the middle turned his fortunes around. In the fourth over, he smashed Jansen for back-to-back sixes—a ramp over the keeper and a slog over midwicket—igniting RR’s innings.With a fluid 38 off 26 balls to support Jaiswal, Samson and Jaiswal put together an 89-run opening partnership, laying a strong platform. Lockie Ferguson dismissed both openers, Jaiswal for a solid 67 off 45 balls and Samson shortly after, as PBKS rallied. Arshdeep and Jansen also contributed a wicket each. The impetus was maintained, nevertheless, by RR’s middle order. With an undefeated 43 off 25 balls, Riyan Parag demonstrated his aggressive intent and made a crucial contribution. Shimron Hetmyer (20 off 12) and Dhruv Jurel (13* off 5) added the finishing touches.
As RR vs PBKS RR soared to a commanding 205/4 in their 20 overs, Marcus Stoinis, who had been economical early on with figures of 12 runs in his first two overs, was torn apart for 36 runs in his final two. This score was the first to reach 200 or more in an IPL game at Mullanpur, and it raised concerns about whether it could be defended on a surface that was not well recognized.
Nehal Wadhera’s Rise Continues as Maxwell Turns Up the Heat – IPL 2025 Player Review
Nehal Wadhera and Glenn Maxwell put up a valiant 88-run partnership for the fifth wicket in a bid to rally against RR vs PBKS. The only bright point for PBKS was Wadhera’s 62 off 41 balls, which was full of strong strokes, and Maxwell’s 30 off 21. Wadhera left shortly after Maxwell was dismissed by Theekshana in the fifteenth over, ending their resistance. Thereafter, PBKS’s pursuit quickly came to an end. With numbers of 3/25, Archer returned to take his third scalp, and Theekshana (2/26) and Sandeep Sharma (2/21) tightened the screws. Only 24 runs and one boundary were scored in the final five overs as RR’s bowlers carried out their strategies well at the end. PBKS struggled to 155/9, 50 runs shy of the goal.
IPL 2025 RR vs PBKS: Royals Hold Nerve in Tight Finish
RR vs PBKS match Archer was deservedly named Player of the Match for his match-defining spell, reflecting on his joy at contributing after a tough start to the tournament. Samson praised his team’s resilience, noting the middle order’s ability to step up after a shaky powerplay. For PBKS, the loss ended their unbeaten streak, exposing vulnerabilities in their batting against high-quality pace and spin. RR’s victory propelled them up the points table, signaling their intent in IPL 2025, while PBKS would need to regroup ahead of their next challenge.
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