Punjab Kings’ skipper Shreyas Iyer faced rare criticism after a soft dismissal against Rajasthan Royals, drawing sharp words from Sanjay Manjrekar, who felt the nature of the wicket impacted more than just the scoreboard. The PBKS captain, who’s otherwise been in sublime touch this season, was bowled for just 10 runs while trying to take on Jofra Archer during a steep chase of 206.
Archer had already struck in the first over by removing Priyansh Arya for a duck. Iyer, attempting to counter-attack, misread the length and exposed his stumps with a wild swing, leaving PBKS reeling at 11/2 after an over. The move didn’t sit well with Manjrekar.
“It was actually very hard for me to see that kind of dismissal of Shreyas Iyer. That shot was terrible, and it’s not just about how you get out. It’s just that a dismissal like that, especially of the captain in form, sends the wrong message in the dressing room. It might not leave them disheartened, but it certainly doesn’t make them feel upbeat about their own chances. That wicket had more impact than just one batter getting out,” Manjrekar said during his analysis on JioHotstar.
Considering his recent exploits, Iyer’s early exit came as a shock – an unbeaten 97 against Gujarat Titans and a classy 52 not out against Lucknow Super Giants. But Rajasthan Royals exposed Kings' top-order fragility as Sandeep Sharma dismissed Marcus Stoinis soon after, reducing them to 26/3 inside four overs.
{{/usCountry}}Considering his recent exploits, Iyer’s early exit came as a shock – an unbeaten 97 against Gujarat Titans and a classy 52 not out against Lucknow Super Giants. But Rajasthan Royals exposed Kings' top-order fragility as Sandeep Sharma dismissed Marcus Stoinis soon after, reducing them to 26/3 inside four overs.
{{/usCountry}}The only real resistance came via a spirited 88-run stand between Nehal Wadhera and Glenn Maxwell. Wadhera brought up a fighting half-century, but once the pair was dislodged, Royals bowlers ran through the rest. Archer returned for his second spell, while Theekshana and Sandeep ensured no late-order revival.
RR's dominant win
Earlier, it was the pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag that helped Rajasthan post 205/4 – the first time Mullanpur had seen a total breach 200-run mark. Their batting fireworks laid the platform, but it was the bowling unit that stole the show.
“This Rajasthan Royals team, with Yashasvi Jaiswal getting runs, is starting to look good. They’ve got a very interesting bowling combination as well. In Archer, one of the best new-ball bowlers; in Sandeep Sharma, one of the best death-over specialists; and players like Maheesh Theekshana in the middle overs are beginning to shine,” Manjrekar added.
PBKS now regroup for their next challenge against Chennai Super Kings on April 8.