IPL 2026: Sooryavanshi, Jurel steer RR to seven-wicket win over LSG
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Jaipur: Rajasthan Royals completed a stunning chase at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Tuesday, overhauling Lucknow Super Giants’ 221 with five balls to spare as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s 93 and Dhruv Jurel’s unbeaten 53 powered RR to a seven-wicket victory.
Put in to bat, LSG posted 220 for 5 in their 20 overs, largely thanks to Mitchell Marsh’s 96 and Josh Inglis’s 60. Jofra Archer and Yash Raj Punja each chipped in with a wicket as LSG posted a competitive total.
Rajasthan’s reply was explosive from the outset. Yashasvi Jaiswal set the pace in the powerplay with aggressive shots through the offside and leg-side, helping RR race to 84 for 1 inside eight overs. Jaiswal’s quickfire 43 off 23 ended when he edged Akash Maharaj Singh to Rishabh Pant, but the platform was already laid.
Sooryavanshi then took command, stitching boundary after boundary—his 93 off 38 balls included ten sixes—and kept RR firmly in control until Mohsin Khan finally removed him. Even after his departure, Jurel’s calm and intelligent batting ensured the required rate stayed manageable. He rotated the strike well, punished loose deliveries and constructed partnerships with Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Donovan Ferreira to steady the chase.
A tense phase arrived late on after Pretorius was run out in the 16th over, but RR’s depth prevailed. With 33 needed off the last five overs, Jurel took charge. Ferreira’s cameo provided crucial support before the match was sealed in the 19th over when Ferreira smoked Shahbaz Ahmed for six over long-off with the final delivery required, finishing the chase emphatically.
LSG’s bowlers had moments of promise—Mohsin Khan and Digvesh Singh Rathi were tidy at times—but lacked the consistency to stem RR’s top-order onslaught. Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav flashed but were unable to sustain pressure.
Brief scores:
Lucknow Super Giants 220/5 (Mitchell Marsh 96, Josh Inglis 60; Yash Raj Punja 2-35, Jofra Archer 1-39) lost to Rajasthan Royals 225/3 in 19.1 overs (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 93, Dhruv Jurel 53*; Mohsin Khan 1-31) by seven wickets.
(Inputs from IANS)