Wadhera, Brar shine as PBKS edge past RR

Rajasthan Royals don't do run chases very well. But even the most pessimistic fan would have reason to be hopeful when the following situations unfold.

- Somshuvra Laha

First over, Arshdeep Singh conceded 22 runs. Three overs done, Royals were 51 for no loss. Powerplay done, the score stood at 89/1.

Fourteen fours and five sixes had brought down the asking rate from 11 to 9.36, thanks to a 76-run partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi in which only two runs had not come from boundaries.

To lose from this situation was quite impossible, but the Royals did exactly that in Jaipur on Sunday. Consolidating such a start was the most sensible approach but Punjab Kings too kept hitting back till the Royals faltered. Two points from the 10-run victory now takes Punjab Kings to 17 points and puts them in the IPL playoffs, after GT beat DC in the evening match.

Orchestrating the slowdown was spinner Harpreet Brar, conceding 22 runs in his four overs but more importantly dismissing Jaiswal, Suryavanshi and Riyan Parag.