A memorable slice of banter between Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur stole the show during Rajasthan Royals’ IPL 2026 match against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday. In the final over of RR’s innings, Shardul beat Jadeja with a slower ball, only for the batter to mistime it into the hands of Hardik Pandya at cover. Hardik erupted in celebration, pumping his fist—until the third umpire ruled that the bowler had overstepped, turning the wicket into a no-ball.
Key takeaways
- Shardul Thakur outfoxed Ravindra Jadeja with a slower delivery in the last over, but the moment changed after an overstepping call.
- The third umpire overturned the dismissal outcome by confirming Shardul had overstepped, making it a no-ball.
- After the no-ball, Jadeja returned the celebration in a playful way before striking back with two consecutive boundaries.
- Rajasthan Royals finished on 205/8, boosted by Jofra Archer’s 32 off 15 and Jadeja’s 19* off 11 from No. 9.
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal were the early focus, but both failed to convert starts as Will Jacks played a key role in breaking the momentum.
Jadeja vs Shardul: the no-ball spark and the subsequent fireworks
The turning point began on the fourth ball of the last RR over. Shardul’s slower ball caught Jadeja off the ideal line, and Jadeja mistimed the shot to Hardik Pandya at cover. Hardik celebrated with a big fist pump, but the third umpire intervened almost immediately.
Once the delivery was declared a no-ball for overstepping, Jadeja didn’t let the episode fade quietly. He “gave it back” in a humorous fashion to Shardul, and that exchange appeared to energise RR further. Jadeja then struck Mumbai’s pacer for two back-to-back boundaries, adding another twist to the light-hearted battle between the two teammates.
How Rajasthan built 205/8 after a shaky middle
Despite early questions about the chase of a big score, RR found a late surge on a surface that offered the batters reasonable assistance. In the end, Archer and Jadeja provided the decisive finishing touches as Rajasthan posted an under-par-but-competitive 205 for eight.
With the game in Mumbai a must-win for RR to keep their playoff hopes alive, they needed a strong late push. After their specialist batters fell into trouble and the innings began to look fragile, RR responded by adding 73 runs in the final five overs.
Archer led the acceleration with a barrage that included three sixes and a four, finishing on 32 off 15 balls. Jadeja, promoted to the action at No. 9, struck three boundaries in the last two overs and remained unbeaten on 19 off 11 deliveries, helping RR cross the 200-run threshold.
Early momentum for Sooryavanshi and Jaiswal, then Will Jacks’ impact
All eyes were on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal, but the innings swung quickly once the pair started attracting attention from the bowling unit. Sooryavanshi made only 4 before departing, while Jaiswal, who scored 27, flashed promise in his brief stay.
Sooryavanshi looked set for a clean strike on the first ball he faced, timing a big swing off Deepak Chahar (2/43) as if a six was inevitable. However, Will Jacks at deep extra cover produced a spectacular effort, pulling the ball back from beyond the ropes.
That near-miss seemed to disrupt Sooryavanshi’s rhythm. He then failed to connect with several of the subsequent deliveries. Another wild attempt—this time an outswinger from Chahar that he lofted high towards backward point—ended with a smart catch. Naman Dhir sprinted forward and held on to take Sooryavanshi’s wicket.
Sooryavanshi fell immediately after Jaiswal, who had begun brightly but ultimately paid for going for one shot too many. Jaiswal launched Chahar for a pair of towering sixes and later showed excellent movement by clearing long-off to hit Jacks for his third six. Yet the MI spinner eventually pulled him in with a fuller ball and Jaiswal edged it through, unable to stop the pressure from building.
Rajasthan at 33 for two: no real recovery until the late finish
At 33 for two, Rajasthan struggled to mount a genuine counter-attack. There was little sustained recovery, and the innings lacked the backbone it needed at that stage. Skipper Riyan Parag couldn’t convert his start into a longer innings, while Dhruv Jurel also failed to make a significant dent.
Parag did manage to dispatch a few loose deliveries to the boundary, but just as the innings started to tilt in RR’s favour, a mishit led to a sharp dismissal. In the sixth over, Tilak Varma completed a well-timed bunny-hop catch off AM Ghazanfar (1/45).
Jurel and Parag were not able to provide the rally RR required, and the innings continued to wobble. A further blow came when Dasun Shanaka tried to use the long handle effectively, compiling 29 from 15 balls with three sixes. Unfortunately, a dreadful mix-up with Jurel ended Shanaka’s stay in the 11th over.
Dhruv Jurel then showed plenty of intent but still couldn’t quite provide the momentum RR needed. He struck three fours and two sixes in his 26-ball 38 and helped stitch together two partnerships in the middle overs. His innings finally ended when Corbin Bosch bowled a perfect yorker, denying RR the chance to keep pushing through the innings.
