New Delhi: In the 40th match of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL), the Rajasthan Royals faced off against the Punjab Kings in Mullanpur on April 28. The Royals handed the Kings their first defeat of the season, winning by six wickets.
Punjab Kings batted first, scoring 222 runs in their innings. However, the Royals successfully chased down this target, demonstrating strong batting performance.
Post-match, Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer praised the Rajasthan Royals for their execution. “I thought 224 on the board was a brilliant score. Kudos to the batsmen for their approach against our bowlers. It was an exceptional performance, especially on this wicket, which was a bit tacky and slow. We fell short in our bowling execution,” Iyer stated during the presentation ceremony.
Iyer noted the team’s strategy to employ slower deliveries and yorkers but acknowledged that they did not meet their execution goals. He also highlighted the significant partnerships formed by Ferreira and Shubham Dubey, which contributed critical runs towards the end of the innings.
Following this match, the Punjab Kings, currently atop the table, are set to take on the Gujarat Titans in their next fixture. This match will take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 3, as they look to bounce back from their first setback of the season.
