Jaiswal`s half-century and Archer`s three-wicket haul help RR defeat PBKS

Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 45-ball 67 helped Rajasthan Royals beat Punjab Kings by 50 runs in their IPL match here on Saturday.

Chasing 206, Punjab were restricted to 155-9 in 20 overs. Middle-order batter Nehal Wadhera (41-ball 62) and big-hitter Glenn Maxwell (30 off 21 deliveries) gave RR a few hiccups with an 88-run stand off 52 balls for the fifth wicket, but the other batters failed to cash in on the opportunity. Pacer Jofra Archer finished with figures of 3-25 for RR, while Sandeep Sharma and Maheesh Theekshana claimed two wickets each.

Earlier, rising India star Jaiswal let his bat do the talking with a timely return to form, slamming a stroke-filled 67 to power RR to 205-4.

The 23-year-old, who had endured a lean patch in the opening three games with scores of 1, 29 and 4, roared back to form with a fluent 44-ball fifty (3×4, 5×6) just when the spotlight on him was shifting off the field.

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He had come under the scanner for his surprise move to Goa that fuelled talk of a fallout with Mumbai cricket.

Shutting the noise around him, Jaiswal and skipper Sanju Samson (38 off 26 balls) gave RR their best start of the season with an opening stand of 89 after Shreyas Iyer opted to bowl.

Lockie Ferguson dismissed both Samson and Jaiswal against the run of play in the middle overs, and Nitish Rana (12) also got out cheaply as RR lost three wickets in the 11-15 overs phase.

Riyan Parag (43 not out off 25 balls) provided the late fireworks with three sixes and as many fours to lift RR past the 200-run mark for the first time at this venue. Parag and Dhruv Jurel (13 not out off five) added 20 runs in the last seven balls as RR plundered 55 runs in the final three overs to finish strongly after their season-best opening stand of 89.

Brief scores
RR 205-4 in 20 overs (Y Jaiswal 67, R Parag 43*, S Samson 38; L Ferguson 2-37) beat PBKS 155-9 in 20 overs (N Wadhera 62, G Maxwell 30; J Archer 3-25, S Sharma 2-21, M Theekshana 2-26) by 50 runs

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