Rajasthan Royals end Punjab Kings' unbeaten IPL 2026 run with a spirited chase in Mullanpur
The Rajasthan Royals chased down 223 runs to defeat the Punjab Kings, with Ferreira and Sooryavanshi leading the charge in a match that concluded the visitors' season-long winning streak.
The Rajasthan Royals secured a decisive victory against the Punjab Kings on Tuesday at Mullanpur, successfully chasing a target of 223 runs to end the visitors' unbeaten streak for the 2026 Indian Premier League season. The match, which took place at the Mullanpur venue, saw the Royals overcome a strong bowling effort from Punjab to clinch the win.
South African batter Donovan Ferreira emerged as the standout performer for the home side, scoring an unbeaten 52 off just 26 balls. Batting higher up the order due to the absence of Shimron Hetmyer, Ferreira attacked the Punjab bowlers in the death overs, finishing the innings with four balls remaining. His aggressive approach was pivotal in shifting the momentum of the game.
Support for the chase came from Shubham Dubey, who remained unbeaten on 31 off 12 balls, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who provided a flying start with a blistering 43 off 16 balls. Sooryavanshi's innings included five sixes, while the pair later worked alongside Ferreira to dismantle the pace attack of Arshdeep Singh and Lockie Ferguson during the final six overs.
Despite a disciplined spell from Punjab Kings spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who claimed three wickets, the home side managed to withstand the pressure. The Royals' late assault proved too much for the visitors, who were unable to stop the run flow in the concluding stages of the innings.
Following the match, attention turned to a lighthearted video posted by the Rajasthan Royals featuring Ferreira. In the clip, the batter jokingly replied to Bollywood actor Salman Khan with the phrase "Sorry bhai, aaj nahi," referencing a viral social media post from 2014. The original post by Khan had questioned the performance of the Punjab Kings, co-owned by Preity Zinta, with the caption "Zinta's team won kya?".
This post had since become a recurring internet meme associated with the Punjab Kings franchise. Ferreira's humorous response acknowledged the long-standing joke regarding the team's fortunes while celebrating their recent success on the field.
