A pair of gritty and fluent half-centuries from Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh steered Punjab Kings to a formidable total of 219 for five against Rajasthan Royals in their IPL 2025 clash on Sunday. The duo’s counterattacking partnership lifted PBKS from a precarious position and ensured the team stayed firmly in the hunt for a playoff berth.

With 15 points already on the board, Punjab entered the match with momentum, but their innings got off to a stuttering start after being asked to bat first. By the fourth over, they found themselves reeling at 34 for three, courtesy of an incisive opening spell from Rajasthan pacer Tushar Deshpande. The right-arm seamer struck twice in quick succession, dismissing Priyansh Arya for nine and the in-form Prabhsimran Singh for a brisk 21, putting the Kings under early pressure.