Brar, Shashank, Wadhera star as PBKS inch closer to playoffs with 10-run win over RR

Left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar bowled a match-turning spell after Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh made bruising fifties as Punjab Kings edged closer to an IPL playoff berth with a 10-run win over Rajasthan Royals here on Sunday.

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Brar, who came in as a substitute for skipper Shreyas Iyer -- possibly unwell due to extreme heat -- was introduced in the fifth over and the left-arm spinner walked away with an impressive 3/22 in four overs, helping PBKS to restrict RR to 209/7 in the chase of 220.

The Punjab side had earlier made 219 for five riding on an unbeaten on 59 off 30 deliveries (5x4, 3x6) by Shashank and Wadhera (70, 37, 5x4, 5x6).

With this win, PBKS (NRR: +0.38) climbed to 17 points and they are second on the table behind leaders Royal Challengers Bengaluru (27 points, +0.48) on net run rate difference.

The Ricky Ponting-coached side needs just one more point to secure a playoff berth for the first time since 2014.

Brar, who mixed up his angles, trajectory, and pace with precision, played a big part in that.