May 19, 2025: Punjab Kings continued their strong run in IPL 2025 with a thrilling 10-run victory over Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. However, the match saw a concerning development for the Kings, as captain Shreyas Iyer was forced to sit out the second innings due to a finger injury sustained during practice.
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Despite missing their skipper on the field, Punjab put up a stellar performance. Nehal Wadhera’s explosive 70 and Shashank Singh’s unbeaten 59 helped set a challenging target. In reply, Rajasthan Royals fought back through half-centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal (50) and Dhruv Jurel (53), but fell short by 10 runs.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Iyer confirmed the injury: “The reason is the finger over here,” he said, pointing to his forefinger. “Yesterday while practising I got hit, I will have to go and check what is the issue here.”
Though sidelined, Iyer actively communicated with his team from the dugout, providing strategic inputs. “I was just passing on the message to all the players to keep a positive body language. You tend to drop and feel the game has gone away from you, but I am proud of every player out there for showing that sort of great and bold approach.”
Punjab’s Harpreet Brar was the standout bowler, returning figures of 3 for 22. His spell included crucial dismissals of Vaibhav Suryavanshi (40), Jaiswal, and Riyan Parag. His performance earned him the Player of the Match award, and praise from Iyer: “He was hungry for this opportunity, and today I feel he stepped in and delivered at his best.”
With the win, Punjab Kings now sit second on the IPL 2025 points table with 17 points from 12 matches, strengthening their chances of qualifying for the playoffs.\