Shashank Singh’s Brilliant Half-Century Leads Punjab Kings to Playoffs After 10 Long Years

On May 18, 2025, Punjab Kings clashed with Rajasthan Royals in the 59th IPL 2025 match at Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh Stadium. Punjab, vying for a playoff berth, posted a formidable 219 for 5, powered by Nehal Wadhera’s 70 off 37 balls and Shashank Singh’s unbeaten 59 off 30 balls. Rajasthan, out of playoff contention, got a fierce chase but fell short at 209 for 7, losing by 10 runs. Harpreet Brar’s exceptional 3 for 22 earned him Player of the Match.

Punjab Kings Collapse and Late Surge

Punjab Kings, electing to bat first in sweltering 41°C heat, kicked off with aggression. Openers Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya plundered 11 runs off Fazalhaq Farooqi’s opening over, with Prabhsimran flicking a four through midwicket and Arya driving one past point. Prabhsimran’s explosive 21 off 10 balls, including three fours and a six lofted over long-on, set an early pace. Tushar Deshpande, however, struck twice, dismissing Arya for 9 off 7 balls, caught at mid-off, and trapping Prabhsimran caught behind via review.

Kwena Maphaka, the young South African pacer, dismissed debutant Mitchell Owen for a duck, caught by Sanju Samson, leaving Punjab reeling at 43 for 3 after 4 overs. Nehal Wadhera, entering at No. 5, sparked a revival. His 70 off 37 balls, featuring five fours and five sixes, was a masterclass in controlled aggression. Facing Wanindu Hasaranga, Wadhera lofted a cover drive for four, pulled a short ball for a six over midwicket, and smashed another boundary through point, punishing loose deliveries.

Jaipur hai wavy! 😉🔥pic.twitter.com/2AEPZKBL5m

— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) May 18, 2025

Captain Shreyas Iyer, battling a finger injury, contributed a steady 30 off 25 balls, with five fours, including a clipped boundary off Maphaka and a driven four through cover. Their 50-run partnership steadied the innings, but Riyan Parag’s tossed-up delivery dismissed Iyer, caught at long-off in the 11th over. Wadhera maintained the momentum, targeting Hasaranga’s googlies and lofting shots over cover. Shashank Singh, at No. 6, delivered an unbeaten 59 off 30 balls, with five fours and three sixes.

His standout shots included a scooped four off Deshpande and a towering six over long-on against Akash Madhwal. Azmatullah Omarzai’s rapid 21 off 9 balls, with three fours and a flat-batted six off Farooqi, provided late impetus. The duo’s 60-run stand in the final four overs propelled Punjab to 219 for 5, equaling the IPL record for most 200-plus totals in a season. Punjab scored 58 for 3 in the powerplay and a crucial 60 runs in the last four overs, overwhelming Rajasthan’s bowling attack.

Shashank making his 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤! 🔥pic.twitter.com/U7X6Mlohh1

— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) May 18, 2025

Rajasthan Royals began with intent, exploiting the pitch’s early moisture and grass. Tushar Deshpande’s 2 for 37, dismissing Arya and Prabhsimran, set the tone, while Kwena Maphaka’s 1 for 32 removed Owen, restricting Punjab to 58 for 3 after 6 overs. Riyan Parag’s 1 for 26, including Iyer’s wicket, was effective. However, Rajasthan’s bowlers lost control post-powerplay.

Wanindu Hasaranga’s 0 for 33 was costly, with Wadhera capitalizing on his short googlies, smashing 14 runs in one over. Akash Madhwal’s 1 for 48 included Wadhera’s wicket, caught at deep midwicket, but his final over leaked 20 runs, including two sixes by Shashank. Fazalhaq Farooqi’s 0 for 39, with loose full tosses, failed to curb Punjab’s late charge, as Rajasthan conceded 60 runs in the last four overs.

Rajasthan’s Chase Falls Short

Chasing 220, Rajasthan Royals erupted with 89 for 1 in the powerplay, their best in IPL history. Yashasvi Jaiswal led the charge, smashing 22 runs off Arshdeep Singh’s first over, with four fours and a whipped six over square leg. His 50 off 24 balls, including nine fours and a six, was a blend of precision and power, with boundaries through cover, point, and midwicket. Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the teenage opener, blazed 40 off 15 balls, with four fours and four sixes, including back-to-back sixes off Arshdeep over midwicket. Harpreet Brar, however, turned the tide, dismissing Suryavanshi with a leading edge to mid-off in the 5th over.

B𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐑ING in Jaipur! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/IQECa2vlCh

— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) May 18, 2025

Sanju Samson, returning from injury, scored 20 off 16 balls, lofting a six over long-on off Yuzvendra Chahal, but Azmatullah Omarzai’s 2 for 44 removed him, caught at mid-off in the 11th over. Dhruv Jurel’s resilient 53 off 31 balls, with three fours and four sixes, including a no-look six over midwicket, kept Rajasthan in the hunt. Riyan Parag’s 13 off 11 balls was ended by Brar’s skidding arm ball, and Shimron Hetmyer’s sluggish 11 off 12 balls stalled the chase. Marco Jansen’s 2 for 41, dismissing Jurel and Wanindu Hasaranga in the final over, restricted Rajasthan to 209 for 7. They scored 44 runs in the last four overs, falling short of the required 61 to win.

With Shreyas Iyer sidelined, stand-in captain Shashank Singh lead the Punjab’s bowling. Harpreet Brar’s 3 for 22, dismissing Jaiswal, Suryavanshi, and Parag, was the standout performance, his tight lines on a gripping pitch earning him Player of the Match. Yuzvendra Chahal’s 0 for 30 in 4 overs applied pressure, bowling 10 dot balls to stifle Rajasthan’s momentum. 

𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐁𝐨𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐲𝐚! 😌 pic.twitter.com/j1LVHV7MIf

— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) May 18, 2025

Azmatullah Omarzai’s 2 for 44, including Samson and Hetmyer, was crucial, while Marco Jansen’s 2 for 41 in the death overs, dismissing Jurel and Hasaranga, sealed the win. Arshdeep Singh’s 0 for 60 was expensive, but his knuckle balls in the final overs limited boundaries. Xavier Bartlett’s 0 for 12 in one over was economical but underutilized. Punjab’s spinners, Brar and Chahal, bowled 8 overs for 52 runs and 3 wickets, exploiting the pitch’s turn. 

What’s Happening in the Points Table?

Coming to the points table, Punjab Kings moved to the third position after their impressive 10-run win over Rajasthan Royals in the 59th match of IPL 2025. With this win, PBKS now have 17 points from 12 matches, including 8 wins and 3 losses, and a Net Run Rate of 0.389 and the victory has all but secured their place in the playoffs.

🚨 17 POINTS FOR PUNJAB KINGS IN IPL 2025 🚨 pic.twitter.com/bbE0VvlvNg

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) May 18, 2025

On the other hand, Rajasthan Royals continued their disappointing season with their tenth loss in 13 matches. With just 6 points and a Net Run Rate of -0.701, RR are placed ninth on the table and officially knocked out of the playoff race with only one league game remaining.

TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Game

In the game between the Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals, the TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Game has to be Arshdeep Singh’s brilliant 19th over that turned the match in Punjab’s favour and with Rajasthan Royals needing just 29 runs off the final 12 balls, the equation was well within reach, especially with Dhruv Jurel in fine form on 47 and striking cleanly. However, Arshdeep’s experience and calm under pressure made the difference in this high-scoring thriller. Arshdeep began the over with a slower ball to Shubham Dubey, beating him with a lack of pace, and the pressure started to build. And he followed it up with a full ball, which Dubey could only push for a single.

🫡

— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) May 18, 2025

The third delivery, a knuckle ball, was cut away for a boundary by Jurel, bringing up his fifty off 27 balls. Even then, Arshdeep held his nerve. He followed up with a wide yorker for a single, and then another dot ball with a well-directed bouncer that Dubey missed. On the final ball, Dubey tried to keep Jurel on strike and ran a risky two. In total, Arshdeep conceded just 8 runs in the 19th over when Rajasthan needed much more and his execution under pressure left the Royals needing 22 from the final over, sealing the momentum for Punjab Kings and defining the game’s turning point.

TCNI’s Hero of the Day

Being the player who is our TCNI’s Hero of the Day, Shashank Singh played a vital role in Punjab Kings’ commanding total of 219 for 5 against the Rajasthan Royals and taking over captaincy duties mid-innings after regular skipper Shreyas Iyer suffered a finger injury, Shashank not only led the side with intent but also delivered with the bat when it mattered the most and walking in during the 11th over after the dismissal of Nehal Wadhera, Shashank displayed incredible composure and explosive shot-making.

59* off 30 balls aag hi hai, Shashank paaji! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/YCmcV6ncM2

— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) May 18, 2025

He remained unbeaten on 59 off just 30 balls, laced with five boundaries and three sixes, scoring at a brilliant strike rate of 196.66. His knock gave Punjab the final push in the death overs, helping the team add 60 runs in the last four overs alongside Azmatullah Omarzai, who also chipped in with a quickfire 21 off 9 balls. What stood out in Shashank’s innings was the timing of his acceleration, first consolidating the middle overs, then shifting gears seamlessly in the final stretch.