Punjab Kings (PBKS) suffered their first defeat of IPL 2025, going down by 50 runs to Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the New PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh on Saturday. After choosing to bowl first, PBKS were put under immediate pressure by the Royals’ top order, as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, and Riyan Parag played with authority to post an imposing total of 205/4 in 20 overs.
The chase never quite took off for the Kings. Jofra Archer, returning to form, struck twice in the very first over, removing Priyansh Arya and skipper Shreyas Iyer. That double blow set the tone for a challenging evening for the hosts. Nehal Wadhera’s fighting 62 off 41 balls offered some resistance, but the damage was already done. PBKS eventually managed 155/9, falling well short of the target.
Speaking after the match, spin-bowling coach Sunil Joshi credited Rajasthan’s clinical batting display and admitted that Punjab’s early collapse hurt their chances. “We lost two wickets in the first over—that was the turning point. 200 is a par score these days, and a strong power play is crucial. Unfortunately, we didn’t capitalise,” he said at the post-match press conference.
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Joshi also reflected on the bowling strategy, suggesting the team missed a trick by not utilizing spin enough. “We could’ve bowled more overs with Maxwell and Chahal. It was a balanced surface, and we should have adapted better,” he added.
Captain Shreyas Iyer echoed similar thoughts in the presentation ceremony. “We gave away 15-20 extra runs. We weren’t able to execute our bowling plans effectively. The pitch was decent, and while the ball held up a bit, we didn’t bowl to our strengths.”
Iyer also admitted that the batting lacked composure after the early wickets. “We should’ve built more partnerships. It’s early days in the tournament, so it’s a good time to reflect and reset,” he said. He also noted that the expected dew didn’t arrive, making shot-making trickier under lights.
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Head coach Ricky Ponting, in a debrief with the team, emphasized learning from the setback. “Reflect on your individual game and think about what could’ve been done better. We’ve started well in this campaign, but there’s always room to improve. Use the break wisely and let’s bounce back stronger.”
PBKS will now look to regroup ahead of their clash against Chennai Super Kings on Tuesday, hoping to correct course at their home ground.
