IPL 2023: Jaiswal and Padikkal show keeps RR in playoffs race; netizens upset as PBKS knocked out

It was a rock-solid performance by former champion Rajasthan Royals (RR), especially with the bat as it prevailed over Punjab Kings (PBKS) by four wickets in Match 66 of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamshala on Friday. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Devdutt Padikkal were influential with their batting in this success, which keeps the visitors in the playoffs race, while the hosts were knocked out, leaving netizens resentful.

After winning the coin toss, RR opted to field, as PBKS began on a torrid note, losing three for 46 by the sixth over of the PowerPlay (PP). While it was down to 50/4 by the seventh, Sam Curran (49*) and Jitesh Sharma (44) added 64 for the fifth wicket before the latter departed to pacer Navdeep Saini in the 14th.

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Then, Curran and Shahrukh Khan (41*) took charge for the rest of the innings and contributed to an unbeaten 73-run stand for the sixth wicket, as PBKS posted a par total of 187/5, while it was also the highest partnership for the wicket for the side in the competition to date.

For Rajasthan, Saini captured three wickets, whereas leg-spinner Adam Zampa was quite economical. Before its chase, pacer Nathan Ellis replaced opener Prabhsimran Singh (2) as the Impact Player (IP). It lost Jos Buttler (0) in the second over of the PP with just 12 runs on the board, as pacer Kagiso Rabada trapped him leg-before.

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Nonetheless, it hardly impacted the Royals, as opener Jaiswal (50) and Padikkal (51) put on a convincing 73-run stand for the second wicket to keep them in the hunt. As the latter brought up his ninth IPL half-century during this stand, he fell to pacer Arshdeep Singh in the tenth.

While the visitors were 90/3 by the 11th, Jaiswal and Shimron Hetmyer (46) added 47 for the fourth to keep them going and keep up with the required rate. As Jaiswal scored his eighth IPL 50 during this stand, Ellis dismissed him in the 15th. Then, Hetmyer and Riyan Parag (20) engaged in a watchful 32-run partnership for the fifth to keep themselves going before Rabada broke the coalition in the 18th, and got rid of the latter.

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While RR lost its sixth in the following over ten runs later, with nine needed off the last six balls, Dhruv Jurel (10*) hit the winning SIX off leg-spinner Rahul Chahar to get the job done by four wickets, with a couple of deliveries to spare. For the Kings, Rabada caught a couple, whereas Chahar was economical.