Rajasthan Royals stunned Punjab Kings at Mullanpur on Tuesday, handing them their first loss of IPL 2026 as RR successfully chased a challenging target of 223. Donovan Ferreira emerged as the difference-maker, striking an unbeaten 52 from just 26 deliveries to guide his side home with four balls remaining. With Shimron Hetmyer missing, Ferreira was pushed higher up the batting order, and he made the most of the chance\u2014especially in the late overs\u2014where he punished PBKS bowlers, including Arshdeep Singh and Lockie Ferguson, as the chase swung decisively in RR\u2019s favour.<\/p>\n
After the match, RR shared a video showing Ferreira \u201capologising\u201d to Bollywood star Salman Khan following his match-winning innings against PBKS. The clip features Ferreira reacting to Salman\u2019s 12-year-old post that referenced PBKS, the franchise co-owned by Preity Zinta. In the video, Ferreira is heard saying, \u201cSorry bhai, aaj nahi (Sorry brother, not today!)\u201d.<\/p>\n
The reference goes back to a 2014 message Salman posted around the time of the team\u2019s Qualifier 1 encounter. In that original post, Salman had famously asked, \u201cZinta\u2019s team won kya?\u201d\u2014a line that resurfaced whenever PBKS play, particularly because Zinta\u2019s team lost that Qualifier 1 clash to eventual champions KKR. With PBKS once again in the spotlight, Ferreira\u2019s reply added a playful touch to an otherwise intense finish, and it quickly became a talking point for fans.<\/p>\n
On the field, the chase demanded composure from the start. With 71 runs required off the final six overs, RR still looked in danger of falling short\u2014until Ferreira and a lively cameo from Shubham Dubey took control. Dubey finished unbeaten on 31 off 12 balls, and together they steered RR to the finish line with four balls to spare. Ferreira\u2019s 26-ball knock formed the backbone of the finishing burst, while Dubey ensured the pressure stayed firmly on PBKS.<\/p>\n
Ferreira and Dubey combined for nine fours and five sixes, undoing much of the damage caused earlier by Yuzvendra Chahal. Chahal had produced a strong spell with figures of 3\/36 in his four overs, giving PBKS a platform to defend the 223. Yet RR\u2019s pursuit never truly stalled, and the momentum shifted further when Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made a rapid start\u2014smashing 43 off 16 balls. Sooryavanshi\u2019s assault included five sixes, among them a couple of flicked maximums off Arshdeep Singh and Lockie Ferguson, a burst that suggested RR would cruise through the chase.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, the result delivered more than just two points for RR. The defeat snapped Punjab Kings\u2019 unbeaten run in IPL 2026 and served as a timely reality check as the tournament moves into its most crucial phase, with every fixture now carrying extra weight for the teams chasing the business end of the season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Rajasthan Royals stunned Punjab Kings at Mullanpur on Tuesday, handing them their first loss of IPL 2026 as RR successfully chased a challenging target of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":6134,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"IPL 2026: Donovan Ferreira 52* Ends PBKS vs RR Clash","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Donovan Ferreira\u2019s unbeaten 52 helps Rajasthan chase 223 vs Punjab Kings, ending PBKS\u2019 perfect start in IPL 2026 with four balls to spare.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6135","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n