Rajasthan Royals won by 6 wickets with 12 balls remaining in this Indian Premier League clash, powered by a breathtaking 78 off 26 balls from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. In a chase of 202 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sooryavanshi’s assault set the tone before Dhruv Jurel’s superb 81 off 43 sealed a statement RR victory in Match 16 of 20.
The result extended Rajasthan Royals’ strong run in the competition and added another win to a campaign that had already included victories in Match 3, Match 9 and Match 13. Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who had earlier won Match 1 and Match 11, were left to rue a total of 201/8 that ultimately proved insufficient on a night when RR’s middle order kept the pressure firmly on the chase.
RCB’s innings began in chaotic fashion when Phil Salt fell for 0 off the first ball he faced, but Virat Kohli quickly counterpunched with 32 off 16 balls, striking seven fours at a strike rate of 200. Devdutt Padikkal kept up the early tempo with 14 off 7, and Rajat Patidar then shaped the backbone of the innings with an authoritative 63 off 40 balls, including four fours and four sixes.
For a period, RCB looked set for an even bigger finish, but RR found enough wickets through the middle overs to stop the innings from getting completely away. Krunal Pandya made only 1 off 6, Jitesh Sharma managed 5 off 8, and that squeeze helped Rajasthan claw back momentum. Ravi Bishnoi was central to that effort, returning 2/32 from 4 overs, while Jofra Archer struck twice for 2/33 in 3 overs. Brijesh Sharma also chipped in with 2/37, and Ravindra Jadeja’s 1/14 in 2 overs was valuable control in an innings otherwise dominated by aggressive batting.
RCB still finished strongly. Romario Shepherd’s 22 off 11 and Venkatesh Iyer’s 29 off 15 injected late impetus, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s unbeaten 9 off 7 helped push the total to 201/8. On most nights that would have been enough, but Rajasthan’s response was extraordinary.
Yashasvi Jaiswal signalled intent immediately with 13 off 8 balls, including two sixes, but it was Sooryavanshi who ripped the chase open. His 78 came off just 26 deliveries, packed with eight fours and seven sixes at a strike rate of 300. He took apart anything remotely in his arc and turned a demanding chase into a manageable one within a handful of overs. With RR racing ahead of the required rate, RCB were forced onto the defensive far earlier than they would have liked.
After that blitz, Dhruv Jurel produced the finishing masterclass. His 81 off 43 balls, with eight fours and three sixes, ensured there was no stutter once wickets fell. Shimron Hetmyer was dismissed for 0 off 1 and Riyan Parag made 3 off 5, giving RCB a flicker of hope, but Jurel kept control of the chase with mature ball-striking and smart tempo management. Ravindra Jadeja’s unbeaten 24 off 25 then helped close out the contest as RR reached 202/4 in exactly 18 overs.
Josh Hazlewood was the pick of the RCB attack with 2/44 from 4 overs, while Krunal Pandya gave them a chance with 2/30 in his 4 overs. But the rest of the attack struggled to contain the scoring. Bhuvneshwar Kumar went wicketless for 37 from 4 overs, Abhinandan Singh conceded 54 in 3 overs, Tim David gave away 18 in his lone over, and Romario Shepherd’s 2 overs cost 18 as RR’s hitters kept finding the boundary.
Key performers
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Rajasthan Royals): 78 off 26 balls, 8 fours and 7 sixes, Player of the Match.
Dhruv Jurel (Rajasthan Royals): 81 off 43 balls, 8 fours and 3 sixes, the anchor and finisher of the chase.
Rajat Patidar (Royal Challengers Bengaluru): 63 off 40 balls, 4 fours and 4 sixes in a high-class innings.
Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bengaluru): 32 off 16 balls, 7 fours in a rapid start.
Ravi Bishnoi (Rajasthan Royals): 2/32 from 4 overs, key middle-overs strikes.
Jofra Archer (Rajasthan Royals): 2/33 from 3 overs, important breakthroughs at the top and in the middle.
Josh Hazlewood (Royal Challengers Bengaluru): 2/44 from 4 overs.
Krunal Pandya (Royal Challengers Bengaluru): 2/30 from 4 overs.
NerdSports Stat: Rajasthan Royals got to 202 with 12 balls unused despite chasing 202, and 159 of those runs came from just two batters — Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Dhruv Jurel.
In the wider IPL context, this result keeps Rajasthan Royals’ momentum rolling deep into Match 16 of 20, while RCB now have little time to reset before their next outing. The tournament continues on Saturday, April 11, with Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad followed by Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals, before Royal Challengers Bengaluru return on Sunday, April 12, against Mumbai Indians.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rajasthan Royals won the match by 6 wickets with 12 balls remaining.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was named Player of the Match for his explosive 78 off 26 balls in the chase.
This was Match 16 of 20 in the Indian Premier League, and Rajasthan Royals added another win to a campaign that had already seen them win Matches 3, 9 and 13, while Royal Challengers Bengaluru had earlier won Matches 1 and 11. The tournament now moves on to the remaining league matches.
Dhruv Jurel top-scored with 81 off 43 balls.
The next match in the series is Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday, April 11, followed later that day by Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals.
