What a nerve-wracking encounter we witnessed in Dharamsala as the Rajasthan Royals emerged victorious in a thrilling four-wicket win, knocking Punjab Kings out of the competition while keeping their own slim playoff hopes alive.

The foundation of Royals’ triumph was laid by their left-handed batting trio, showcasing their class on the challenging pitch. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s composed knock of 51 and Devdutt Padikkal’s resilient 50 rescued the Royals from a sticky situation after the early dismissals of Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson. Meanwhile, Shimron Hetmyer’s explosive 44 ensured the required run rate didn’t spiral out of control during the latter stages of the chase.

Despite the Kings’ valiant effort in posting a competitive total of 187, their top-order crumbled early, leaving them reeling at 50 for 4 within the powerplay overs. Trent Boult and Navdeep Saini inflicted early blows, while Adam Zampa and Yuzvendra Chahal applied pressure, leading to the middle-order resurrection by Jitesh Sharma and Sam Curran. Their gritty partnership gave the Kings hope, and a late flourish from Shahrukh Khan and Curran bolstered their total, making it a tricky chase for the Royals.