Donovan Ferreira and Shubham Dubey turned the chase into a statement as Rajasthan Royals pulled off a thrilling six-wicket victory over Punjab Kings in Match 40 of IPL 2026 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh. The pair stitched an unbeaten 77-run stand off just 32 deliveries to completely swing the momentum after the required rate had climbed sharply beyond 12 in the second half of the innings, handing PBKS their first loss of the season.
Rajasthan’s chase flips after 14 overs
With the game finely balanced when 14 overs were down, Rajasthan needed their middle and death-overs hitting to click immediately. Ferreira and Dubey took the pace attack head-on, finding gaps and staying unflustered as the pressure mounted. Their approach was particularly effective when the spinners were temporarily taken out of the attack, allowing RR to keep striking with intent.
Arshdeep Singh was rocked for three boundaries in a single over, while Marco Jansen also conceded costly runs at the crucial stage. That fearless batting ensured Rajasthan didn’t just reach the target—they did it with room to spare, winning in 19.2 overs and preserving every wicket as they crossed the line.
Earlier fireworks: Sooryavanshi’s rapid start sets the tone
Punjab Kings were made to chase after Rajasthan’s pursuit was sparked by a sensational cameo from 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The teenager came on strike after Yashasvi Jaiswal handed him the ball, and he immediately changed the tempo of the innings.
Even though Arshdeep began with accurate yorkers, Sooryavanshi responded with an aggressive counterattack. He struck a 6 and followed it with two fours in the opening over. The momentum didn’t fade either—he continued to punish Lockie Ferguson and Jansen, racing to 43 off just 16 balls, with a return of three fours and five sixes before his dismissal.
Sooryavanshi’s milestone
- Sooryavanshi reached 400 IPL runs in 167 balls, striking at 238.09.
- The 400-run mark was the fastest in an IPL season at the time.
- Rajasthan surged to 66/1 in four overs, laying a strong base for the chase.
Jaiswal’s fifty, PBKS fight back, then RR finish it
After Sooryavanshi departed, Jaiswal stepped up with a calm yet assertive spell of batting. He brought up a fifty in 26 deliveries and ended on 51 off 27 balls. However, Punjab Kings tightened their grip through Yuzvendra Chahal, who struck twice in quick succession—removing Jaiswal and Riyan Parag, who made 29.
Dhruv Jurel then contributed 16 off 20 balls, but the loss of wickets disrupted the flow. Rajasthan managed only 25 runs across the next four overs, and the chase swung back toward PBKS.
Pressure peaks, but Ferreira and Dubey take control
At one stage, the equation read 100 runs required from 52 balls, with the pressure firmly on Rajasthan. Just when it looked like PBKS might regain full control, Ferreira and Dubey dismantled the plan with clean striking and composed decision-making in the final phase. Ferreira was the aggressor with a blistering 52, while Dubey provided the stability needed to keep the chase on track. In the end, Rajasthan reached the target in 19.2 overs without losing another wicket, wrapping up the win by six wickets.
Punjab Kings’ innings: Stoinis late surge to 222/4
Earlier, Punjab Kings set a competitive target of 222/4 after batting first. The innings was driven by a late acceleration from Marcus Stoinis, who smashed 62 off just 22 balls to help PBKS cross the 220-mark.
Prabhsimran Singh added the backbone with 59, while Cooper Connolly and Shreyas Iyer contributed 30 apiece. Stoinis’ explosive finish played the decisive role in pushing Punjab to a total Rajasthan had to chase down under rising pressure.
Brief scores
- Punjab Kings: 222/4 (Stoinis 62*, Prabhsimran 59; Yash Punja 2/41, Archer 1/40)
- Rajasthan Royals: 228/4 (Ferreira 52*, Jaiswal 51; Chahal 3/36)
- Result: Rajasthan Royals won by 6 wickets
