Can Nehal and Harpreet Lead Punjab to Playoffs?

Jaipur, May 18 (NationPress) Nehal Wadhera scored a brilliant 70, and Harpreet Brar took 3 wickets for 22 runs, guiding the Punjab Kings to a thrilling 10-run victory over the Rajasthan Royals in a high-octane IPL 2025 match at Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Sunday.

This win has bolstered Punjab's chances of making it to the playoffs, now sitting at 17 points from 12 matches, securing second place on the points table, trailing only Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

In pursuit of a challenging 220, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi started strong, with Jaiswal hitting four boundaries and a six in Arshdeep Singh's opening over, scoring 22 runs. Suryavanshi followed suit with two sixes and a four, making 17 runs in Marco Jansen's over.

Xavier Bartlett faced a brutal attack as Jaiswal smashed him for three fours, bringing up the team's fifty in just 17 balls.

Despite runs flowing freely, Shreyas Iyer introduced spinner Harpreet Brar, whose entry proved crucial. Brar dismissed Suryavanshi, who scored 40 runs off just 15 balls, including four sixes and four fours.

Rajasthan's captain Sanju Samson joined Jaiswal, maintaining the aggressive momentum. The home team stood at 89/1 at the end of the powerplay, their best this season.

After field restrictions, Iyer brought in spinners, with Yuzvendra Chahal joining Brar. Samson hit Chahal for a six in his opening over.

Brar struck again, dismissing Jaiswal for a brisk 50 off 25 balls with nine fours and one six, adding pressure to Rajasthan.

Chahal's next over only gave away four runs, building pressure on Samson and Riyan Parag. Brar took another wicket, getting Samson for 20 runs, leaving Rajasthan at 114/3.

A brief partnership of 30 runs between Parag and Dhruv Jurel ended with Brar taking Parag's wicket in the 14th over for his third of the match.

Jurel had a short partnership with Shimron Hetmyer, who struggled to find form, scoring just 11 runs before being dismissed by Bartlett.

Jurel reached his half-century in just 28 balls as the team needed 22 runs off the last six balls. Jurel was out for 53, leaving Rajasthan just 10 runs short.

For the Punjab Kings, Brar led the bowling with three wickets, while Jansen and Omarzai took two each.

Earlier, explosive half-centuries from Wadhera and Shashank Singh propelled Punjab Kings to 219/5 in their innings.

Choosing to bat first, Punjab's openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh started aggressively. Arya hit a boundary on the first ball, while Prabhsimran followed suit with a boundary in Farooqi's opening over.

However, Rajasthan retaliated with Tushar Deshpande taking Arya (9) in the second over, caught by Shimron Hetmyer.

Prabhsimran capitalized on Kwena Maphaka's over, hitting two fours and a six before being dismissed for 21 runs.

Captain Shreyas Iyer and Wadhera steadied the innings, ensuring no further wickets fell during the powerplay, with Punjab at 58/3 at that stage.

The duo kept scoring steadily, with Wadhera taking charge against Hasaranga, striking him for multiple boundaries.

Iyer helped reach the 100-run mark before being dismissed for 30 runs by Parag.

Wadhera completed his second half-century of the season, reaching 70 from just 25 balls, hitting five sixes and five fours, with Punjab at 159/5 after 16 overs.

Shashank and Wadhera added crucial runs in the death overs, with Shashank finishing unbeaten on 59 off 30 balls.

For Rajasthan, Deshpande's figures were 2-37, while Parag, Maphaka, and Madhwal took one wicket each.

Final Scores: Punjab Kings 219/5 in 20 overs (Nehal Wadhera 70, Shashank Singh 59 not out; Tushar Deshpande 2-37) defeated Rajasthan Royals 209/7 in 20 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 50, Dhruv Jurel 53, Vaibhav Suryavanshi 40; Harpreet Brar 3-22) by 10 runs.