Rajasthan Royals head coach Kumar Sangakkara singled out Shubham Dubey for his composure and game sense after the left-hander delivered a match-winning cameo as an impact player against Punjab Kings at the PCA New International Stadium. With Rajasthan chasing a steep target of 223, the pressure was always building as the required run rate climbed quickly. Dubey, however, steadied the chase and then accelerated at the right moments alongside Donovan Ferreira, forging an unbeaten 77-run partnership off just 32 balls. That finishing burst helped the Royals complete the chase in 19.2 overs, and it also meant Punjab Kings suffered their first defeat of the season.<\/p>\n
Speaking after the match, Sangakkara explained why Dubey\u2019s role mattered so much. \u201cI thought Dubey, coming in as an impact player\u2014it\u2019s one of the hardest things to do because you don\u2019t know if you\u2019re playing. So mentally, he is exceptionally skilled to be able to keep that focus and go out there and bring the game to us. He came in at a tough position,\u201d he said. Sangakkara also pointed to how momentum had swung back when needed. \u201cRiyan Parag\u2019s small innings was exactly what we needed to bring the momentum back. So it was a collective effort,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the chase, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made an immediate statement by striking 43 off 16 balls, giving Rajasthan a springy start at a time when innings shape mattered. Yashasvi Jaiswal then added a steady 51, helping keep the chase on track despite the target\u2019s magnitude. A brief dip followed as Yuzvendra Chahal struck, but Rajasthan did not lose their grip on the contest, and once the finishers were introduced, the game turned decisively in their favour.<\/p>\n
Sangakkara further highlighted the depth of Rajasthan\u2019s batting options, stressing that the attention should not be confined to one name. \u201cI know the focus is a lot on Vaibhav, and I know why\u2014because he\u2019s an incredible player and amazing to watch. But at the same time, when I look at my side and run through my batters, there\u2019s Vaibhav, Dhruv Jurel, Yash, Riyan, Donovan Ferreira, Dubey, Ravindra Jadeja, and Dasun Shanaka today\u2014they\u2019re all top players,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Punjab Kings had set the stage with a demanding 222\/4, built on Marcus Stoinis\u2019 unbeaten 62 off 22 balls. Prabhsimran Singh struck 59, while Shreyas Iyer contributed 30, taking Punjab to a total that looked imposing on paper. Yet Rajasthan\u2019s fearless finishing ensured that the big score did not translate into victory, handing Punjab their first setback of the campaign.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Rajasthan Royals head coach Kumar Sangakkara singled out Shubham Dubey for his composure and game sense after the left-hander delivered a match-winning cameo as an…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":6312,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"IPL 2024: Sangakkara Hails Shubham Dubey vs PBKS","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Kumar Sangakkara lauds Shubham Dubey\u2019s calm, match-winning impact vs PBKS as RR chase 223 with key acceleration and an unbeaten 77-run stand.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6313","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n