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On the back of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s sensational knock, Rajasthan Royals moved closer to a playoff spot in the Indian Premier League with a seven-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants at Sawai Mansingh Stadium.

With this win, Rajasthan moved to 14 points and climbed to fourth on the points table with one game remaining. A win in their final league match against Mumbai Indians will officially seal their playoff spot. They can reach a maximum of 16 points, which will guarantee qualification. If they lose the final game, their fate may depend on other results, setting up a tense finish to the league stage.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi powers Rajasthan Royals in a massive 221-run chase

Chasing a daunting target of 221, Rajasthan’s top order made a cakewalk of the chase with an aggressive approach from the very start.

Yashasvi Jaiswal gave his side a flying start with 43 off 23 deliveries, taking on the LSG attack in the powerplay. Then came the Vaibhav storm.

The 15-year-old tore apart the LSG bowling attack with a stunning 93 off just 38 balls, smashing 7 fours and 10 sixes. His fearless strokeplay completely shifted the game and ensured RR stayed ahead of the asking rate throughout.

Dhruv Jurel played the perfect supporting role, staying unbeaten on 53 off 38 balls and guiding the side till the finish. Donovan Ferreira then added the finishing touches as RR chased down the target in 19.1 overs.

LSG bowling falls apart after strong batting display

LSG, already eliminated from the tournament, endured another poor outing with the ball.

Akash Maharaj Singh, who was the hero in their previous game, was expensive this time and leaked 54 runs in just three overs. Mayank Yadav also had a forgettable outing, conceding 50 runs in his four overs.

The performance once again raised questions over LSG’s bowling unit, which has failed to deliver consistently despite showing occasional promise. On a batting-friendly surface, they had little answer once RR’s top order settled.

Mitchell Marsh and Josh Inglis shine but LSG still fall short

Earlier, LSG came out to bat and their openers dominated the Rajasthan attack from the beginning.

Mitchell Marsh continued his strong season with a brilliant 96 off 57 balls. He looked set for a century but fell short in the final over. Josh Inglis once again impressed with 60 off just 29 deliveries, helping LSG race to 109 in the first 8.2 overs.

The pair attacked the bowlers all around the ground and put RR under pressure. Later, Rishabh Pant added a useful cameo of 35 off 23 deliveries to push LSG to 220/5, a total that looked competitive at the halfway stage.

Yash Raj Punja impresses in RR bowling effort

For Rajasthan, Yash Raj Punja was the standout bowler on a flat wicket. The right-arm leg-spinner picked up two wickets and broke the dangerous opening stand by dismissing Inglis.

Jofra Archer chipped in with one wicket, while two run-outs in the final over prevented LSG from finishing even stronger.

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