Rajasthan Crush Punjab in Mullanpur Opener

Rajasthan Royals crushed Punjab Kings by 50 runs in the IPL match at Mullanpur, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jofra Archer playing key roles in the win.

Yashasvi Jaiswal struck form with a blistering 67, leading Rajasthan Royals to a crushing 50-run win over Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League. Jaiswal's 45-ball knock was instrumental in Rajasthan's batting charge, and he shared an 89-run opening stand with skipper Sanju Samson to steer the team to 205-4 at Mullanpur. Samson contributed 38 runs in his return to captaincy, while Riyan Parag's unbeaten 43 off 25 balls helped Rajasthan breach the 200-run mark for the first time at the venue in six matches.

In response, Punjab Kings were restricted to 155-9 despite Nehal Wadhera's impressive 41-ball 62. Rajasthan's England import Jofra Archer was instrumental in restricting the opposition, taking two wickets in the first over of the chase and finishing with figures of 3-25. Jaiswal's form was a welcome boost for Rajasthan, who had struggled in their previous outings. The left-hander started cautiously but soon found his groove, taking on the bowlers alongside Samson.

Rajasthan's Strong Batting Display

An excellent bowling performance from RR as they beat PBKS by 50 runs at Mullanpur 🩷⚡

It's Punjab Kings' first defeat of the season ❌#IPL2025 #SanjuSamson #PBKSvRR #Sportskeeda pic.twitter.com/UK9GtbSSY4

— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) April 5, 2025

Yashasvi Jaiswal's calculated knock, which included three fours and five sixes, set the tone for Rajasthan Royals' strong batting display. Sanju Samson fell to a catch at mid-on off Lockie Ferguson, but Jaiswal continued to take on the bowlers until he was dismissed, with his off stump cartwheeling off Ferguson's delivery. Nitish Rana made 12 before being caught on the fence off Marco Jansen, but Riyan Parag and Shimron Hetmyer boosted the total with their contributions.

Parag and Hetmyer added significant value to the innings, with Hetmyer hitting 20 before departing in the 19th over. Parag and Dhruv Jurel then managed 19 runs from the last six balls, helping Rajasthan post a competitive total. In the chase, Jofra Archer made an immediate impact, bowling Priyansh Arya with the first ball of the innings and then dismissing Shreyas Iyer for 10. Archer's early breakthroughs set the tone for a disciplined bowling performance from Rajasthan.