Jadeja’s all-round brilliance powers Rajasthan to 40-run win

KATHMANDU: A superb all-round display from Ravindra Jadeja and a disciplined bowling effort guided Rajasthan Royals to a convincing 40-run victory over Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.

Opting to bat first, Rajasthan posted a competitive 159/6 in 20 overs despite an early collapse.

Mohammed Shami struck twice in consecutive deliveries to remove Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel, while Mohsin Khan tightened the screws with economical bowling, leaving Rajasthan struggling at 32/3 inside four overs.

Stabilizing the innings, Jadeja anchored the recovery with a composed unbeaten 43 off 29 balls. He stitched key partnerships with Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, and Donovan Ferreira to rebuild the innings.

In the final phase, Jadeja combined with Shivam Dube for a rapid unbeaten 49-run stand off just 25 balls, propelling Rajasthan to a strong total with 32 runs coming in the last two overs.

In reply, Lucknow faltered early, losing key wickets in the powerplay. Captain Rishabh Pant was dismissed for a duck, while Aiden Markram also fell without scoring, leaving the hosts reeling at 31/3.

Mitchell Marsh led a brief fightback with a well-made 55 off 41 balls, sharing crucial partnerships with Nicholas Pooran and Himmat Singh.

However, once Marsh departed, the innings unraveled quickly.

Rajasthan’s bowlers maintained relentless pressure, with Jofra Archer claiming three wickets and Nandre Burger taking two. Jadeja also chipped in with a wicket, as Lucknow were bowled out for 119 in 18 overs.

The win ends Rajasthan’s two-match losing streak, marking a strong return to form with a dominant all-round performance.