Sanju Samson-led Rajasthan Royals (RR) secured their second win of the season as they beat Punjab Kings (PBKS) by a dominant 50-run margin in the 18th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.

Meanwhile, an unusual moment occurred on the final ball of the match when the umpires suspected a potential fielding rule breach. After a lengthy review, it was confirmed that the field placement was legal, and the match concluded.

Speaking about the incident, Riyan Parag mentioned that when he saw Lockie Ferguson walking in, he noticed his strike rate was 147 on the big screen. He told Jofra Archer that they might need a long-on, but then realised it was not necessary, so he quickly ran back to his original position, might be in time.

"I saw Lockie coming in and I saw his strike-rate on the big screen. It was 147, so I told Jofra you might need a long-on, but then I realised he didn't need one so I rushed back in, perhaps just in time," said Riyan Parag on the last ball confusion.

Spekaing of the match, after being asked to bat first by PBKS, it was a commanding display from the RR batters. The skipper got things going with a brisk 38 off 26 balls, while his opening partner, Yashasvi Jaiswal impressed with a fluent 67 off 45, which included three fours and five sixes.

The solid foundation was well supported by the middle-order batters, with Riyan Parag contributing 43 off 25 and Shimron Hetmyer chipping in with a quick 20 off 12. The Royals posted a total of 205 at the end of their innings.

In response, PBKS struggled from the first as the RR bowlers took control early. England pacer Jofra Archer struck twice, removing Priyansh Arya and PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer. Although Nehal Wadhera (62 off 41) and Glenn Maxwell (30 off 21) attempted to revive, their efforts were not enough to chase down the target.

The Royals bowling attack remained relentless, with Archer finishing with figures 3 for 25 and earning the player of the match award. Sandeep Sharma and Maheesh Theekshana also made key contributions, taking two wickets each, as RR collected two points on the table.