Rajasthan Royals (RR) ended Punjab Kings' (PBKS) unbeaten streak in IPL 2026, winning by six wickets on Tuesday (April 28) in Mullanpur.
Chasing a formidable target of 223, the Royals reached home with four deliveries to spare, driven by an explosive start from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (43 off 16) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (51 off 27), followed by a 77-run stand between Donovan Ferreira (52* off 26) and Shubham Dubey (31* off 12).
After the win, RR head coach Kumar Sangakkara commended his batting unit, with special praise reserved for skipper Riyan Parag.
"I know the focus is a lot on Vaibhav because he's an incredible player. But when I look at our side--Vaibhav, Dhruv, Yash, Riyan, Donovan Ferreira, Dubey, Jadeja, and Shanaka--they are all top cricketers. When someone does something extraordinary, it makes you very happy," Sangakkara said in the post-match press conference
He highlighted Parag's crucial cameo, calling it a key moment in regaining momentum. "Riyan's small innings was exactly what we needed to bring the momentum back our way," Sangakkara added, describing the victory as a “collective effort.”
Despite a quiet start to the season with 88 runs in eight innings prior, Parag scored 29 runs off 16 balls against PBKS, which was crucial in the middle overs.
Sangakkara lauded the Royals bowling unit for fighting back after a strong start from the Punjab batters.
"We were a little bit off at the start with our bowling plans, but the way we fought back into the game, especially our two spinners and Jofra again, supported by Nandre and Brijesh, was exceptional," he said.
Sangakkara, who is also serving RR as the Director of Cricket, also praised impact substitute Shubham Dubey for his mental toughness and crucial contribution.
"Coming in as an impact sub is one of the hardest things. You don't know if you're playing, but mentally he was exceptionally skilful to stay focused and contribute in a tough situation," he remarked.
This was RR’s sixth win in nine games this season. Currently holding third spot in the team standings, they will next face Delhi Capitals on May 1 at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.
