Rajasthan Royals Reel In 223 to Down Leaders Punjab Kings at Mullanpur

Rajasthan Royals beat Punjab Kings by 6 wickets (with 4 balls remaining) at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, in the 40th match of 74 in the Indian Premier League 2026. Rajasthan Royals chased down 223 with four wickets and four balls to spare to leapfrog into third place on 12 points, while table-topping Punjab Kings suffered only their second defeat of the season – a first home reverse – but stay top of the standings with 13 points from 8 games.

First Innings: Stoinis Detonates the Death to Drag Punjab to 222

Punjab Kings batted first after Rajasthan Royals won the toss and elected to bowl. Priyansh Arya went hard from ball one, crashing 29 off just 11 balls – five fours and a six at a strike rate of 264 – before Yash Raj Punja had him caught at 37/1 in over 2.5. That was the only moment of early control for Rajasthan.

Cooper Connolly arrived and kept the acceleration going, striking 30 off 14 with two fours and three sixes (SR 214) before falling at 96/2 in over 8.2 – also to Punja, who ended the innings with 2/41 from his four overs. Prabhsimran Singh anchored from the top, building a composed 59 off 44 balls (six fours, one six, SR 134) before being caught in over 13.6 at 144/3 – the third wicket to fall.

Shreyas Iyer looked to consolidate at number four but managed only 30 off 27 at a strike rate of 111, his dismissal at 181/4 in over 17.6 – caught off Punja – setting the scene for something extraordinary. With 14 balls remaining and a total that looked like finishing around 205, Marcus Stoinis walked to the crease and detonated. The Australian all-rounder hit 62 not out off just 22 balls – four fours, six sixes, strike rate 282 – lifting Punjab from 181/4 to 222/4. He made 41 runs in the final 2.4 overs virtually single-handed. Suryansh Shedge chipped in with 3* off 2 to close the innings.

For Rajasthan’s attack, Jofra Archer took 1/40 from four overs (economy 10), Nandre Burger 1/59 (economy 14.75), Ravindra Jadeja 0/32 (economy 8.00), and Brijesh Sharma 0/42 (economy 10.5). Punja’s 2/41 was the pick of the attack despite the heavy economy.

Second Innings: Suryavanshi and Jaiswal Fire, Ferreira and Dubey Finish

Rajasthan’s response was spectacular from the first ball. Vaibhav Suryavanshi launched immediately – 43 off just 16 deliveries, three fours and five sixes at a strike rate of 269 – before being caught at 51/1 in over 3.2. Yashasvi Jaiswal was more measured at the other end but no less effective, posting 51 off 27 (seven fours, one six, SR 189) before Yuzvendra Chahal had him caught at 123/3 in over 11.2. By then, Rajasthan were flying – 123 runs in 11 overs with only three down.

Dhruv Jurel struggled to find his timing – 16 off 20 at a strike rate of 80 – and fell at 105/2 in over 9.4. Riyan Parag played a brisk cameo of 29 off 16 (two fours, two sixes, SR 181) before Chahal’s third wicket ended his innings at 151/4 in over 13.6. With 72 needed from 37 balls, the match was theoretically alive – but Donovan Ferreira and Shubham Dubey shut down any PBKS hope with clinical efficiency.

Ferreira finished unbeaten on 52 off 26 (six fours, three sixes, SR 200), Dubey on 31* off 12 (three fours, two sixes, SR 258). Their unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 77 off 34 balls carried Rajasthan home with four balls remaining. The chase was completed in 19.2 overs – 228/4.

For Punjab, Yuzvendra Chahal was brilliant – 3/36 from four overs (economy 9.00), his three wickets keeping Punjab alive into the back end. Arshdeep Singh conceded 68 from four overs (1 wicket, economy 17.00). Lockie Ferguson went for 57 from four wicketless overs (economy 14.25). Marco Jansen bowled 3.2 overs for 41 without a wicket, and Harpreet Brar was the most economical with 0/25 from four overs (economy 6.25).

Statz MVP: Marcus Stoinis (108.62/100)

Marcus Stoinis is the Statz MVP with a rating of 108.62/100 – a formula that calculates impact based on match context. His 62 not out from 22 balls in the final 2.4 overs of the Punjab innings added 41 runs to a total that looked like finishing around 205. Those extra runs very nearly won the match – Rajasthan needed 228 to win and got there with just four balls remaining. The Statz model recognises the weight of context: runs hit in the death overs of a high-pressure chase target carry disproportionate match impact, and Stoinis delivered them at a strike rate of 282 with six sixes. No official Man of the Match was awarded for this fixture.

Top 5 Statz Ratings

• Marcus Stoinis (Punjab Kings) – 132 Dream11 pts, Statz MVP 108.62/100 – 62* off 22 balls, SR 282. Six sixes in the death overs turned a par score into a genuine target.
• Donovan Ferreira (Rajasthan Royals) – 120 Dream11 pts – 52* off 26 balls, SR 200. Composed and explosive, sealed the chase with four balls remaining.
• Yashasvi Jaiswal (Rajasthan Royals) – 103 Dream11 pts – 51 off 27 balls, SR 189. Provided the foundation for the chase alongside Suryavanshi’s carnage.
• Prabhsimran Singh (Punjab Kings) – 103 Dream11 pts – 59 off 44 balls, SR 134. The innings anchor, keeping Punjab on course before the Stoinis explosion.
• Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Rajasthan Royals) – 99 Dream11 pts – 43 off 16 balls, SR 269. Five sixes in the powerplay put the chase immediately on Rajasthan’s terms.

Turning Point: Shreyas Iyer Dismissed at 181/4, Over 17.6 – Stoinis Arrives

The moment that defined the match was Shreyas Iyer‘s dismissal at 181/4 in over 17.6, caught off Yash Raj Punja. Punjab had looked on course for 205-210 at best. What followed – Marcus Stoinis hitting 62 off 14 deliveries to take Punjab to 222 – transformed the match. Those 41 extra runs added in 2.4 overs were precisely the margin that made this a genuine contest. Had Iyer’s wicket triggered a normal close of innings, Rajasthan would have chased comfortably. Instead they needed to sprint home.

Match Context

This was the 40th match of 74 in the IPL 2026 Regular Season, played at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, Chandigarh.

Punjab Kings – 1st place, 13 pts from 8 (W6 L1 NR1, NRR +1.043). Punjab remain top of the table and have been the most consistent side of the tournament so far. This was only their second defeat in eight games and their first at home. The table leadership is intact but their death bowling – Arshdeep going for 68 and Ferguson for 57 – will need addressing. Still firmly in control of their playoff destiny.

Rajasthan Royals – 3rd place, 12 pts from 9 (W6 L3, NRR +0.617). RR move back into the top three with a third win in their last five. The batting depth is formidable – six players reached double figures tonight, three of them hitting above a strike rate of 180. They trail second-placed RCB only on net run rate. Playoffs are firmly in sight.

Full scorecard: statz.ai/cricket/fixtures/69634/punjab-kings-vs-rajasthan-royals/scorecard

Competition: Indian Premier League 2026