Rajasthan Royals handed Punjab Kings their first defeat of IPL 2026, winning by six wickets with four balls to spare in Match 40 at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on April 28. The win pushed RR to third place on the points table with 12 points from nine games, while Punjab Kings remain at the top despite the loss.
The match was a high-scoring affair. Punjab Kings posted 222 for 4 in 20 overs, and Rajasthan Royals chased it down in 19.2 overs, finishing at 228 for 4.
IPL 2026 Points Table After Match 40
| Position | Team | M | W | L | N/R | Points | NRR |
| 1 | Punjab Kings | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 1.043 |
| 2 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 1.919 |
| 3 | Rajasthan Royals | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 0.617 |
| 4 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0.815 |
| 5 | Gujarat Titans | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8 | -0.475 |
| 6 | Chennai Super Kings | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 6 | -0.121 |
| 7 | Delhi Capitals | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 6 | -1.060 |
| 8 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 8 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 5 | -0.751 |
| 9 | Mumbai Indians | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 4 | -0.736 |
| 10 | Lucknow Super Giants | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 4 | -1.106 |
How Rajasthan Royals Chased Down 223
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi set the tone early, smashing 43 off just 16 balls before Arshdeep Singh dismissed him in the fourth over. Yashasvi Jaiswal played the anchor role, reaching his fifty off 26 balls, before Yuzvendra Chahal removed him for 51. Chahal was Punjab Kings’ standout bowler, picking up 3 for 36.
At 151 for 4 after 13.6 overs, RR needed 72 from 36 balls with the required rate sitting at exactly 12. That is when Donovan Ferreira and Shubham Dubey took over. The pair added 77 runs off just 32 balls for the fifth wicket. Ferreira finished unbeaten on 52 off 26 balls, hitting six fours and three sixes. Dubey, who came in as an Impact Player substitute, scored 31 off 12 balls. Ferreira hit the winning six over long-on to seal the chase.
Donovan Ferreira was named Player of the Match, while Yash Raj Punja of RR earned Cricinfo’s MVP award with 64.57 points after picking up 2 for 41.
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Punjab Kings’ Batting Could Not Save Their Bowling
Punjab Kings had a good start with Priyansh Arya’s 29 off 11 balls. Prabhsimran Singh was the highest scorer with 59 off 44 balls, and Marcus Stoinis went on a rampage in the last over, scoring 62 not out off 22 balls with four fours and six sixes. In the final four overs, PBKS scored 62 runs to finish with 222.
But their fast bowlers failed them. Arshdeep Singh bowled four overs and leaked 68 runs, while Lockie Ferguson leaked 57 in four overs. The PBKS fast bowlers conceded 166 runs in 68 balls, an issue evident throughout this season. Yash Raj Punja was the best of the RR bowlers with two wickets in the middle.
Punjab Kings are still leading the IPL 2026, and will play Gujarat Titans next.
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