IPL 2026: RR’s pace attack crush LSG by 40 runs in dominant display

What looked like a modest total quickly turned into a statement win as Rajasthan Royals’ pace unit stepped up to dismantle Lucknow Super Giants in their own backyard.

Jofra Archer delivered a clinical spell as Rajasthan Royals registered a comprehensive 40-run win over Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow on Wednesday, April 22 with their bowlers taking control of the contest after a competitive first innings.

Defending 160, Rajasthan executed their bowling plans with precision. Archer led the attack with three wickets, while Nandre Burger and Brijesh Sharma chipped in with key breakthroughs, the trio accounting for the bulk of the damage. In the process, Archer also went past Shane Watson to become the franchise’s leading wicket-taker.

Lucknow’s chase had a promising start with Mitchell Marsh showing intent early on, but the run-out of Ayush Badoni halted momentum. Burger then removed Rishabh Pant for a duck, and Archer followed it up by dismissing Aiden Markram cheaply, putting the hosts on the back foot.

Marsh and Nicholas Pooran tried to rebuild with a 43-run stand, but Ravindra Jadeja broke the partnership by removing Pooran for 22. From there, LSG kept losing wickets at regular intervals.

Marsh did bring up a fighting half-century but was dismissed for 55 soon after, effectively ending the chase. Brijesh Sharma then struck twice in quick succession, removing Mukul Choudhary and Mohammed Shami, before Archer returned to wrap up the innings and seal the win.

Earlier, Rajasthan Royals posted 159/6 after being asked to bat. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi provided a brisk start, but Shami turned things around with a double strike, dismissing Jaiswal for 22 and Dhruv Jurel for a golden duck. Mohsin Khan added to the pressure by removing Sooryavanshi.

Captain Riyan Parag once again failed to convert his start, scoring 20 before falling to Prince Yadav, as his struggles with the bat continued this season. While he has looked composed in his role as captain, the added responsibility appears to have had an impact on his batting output.

His form has also drawn criticism from former India captain Kris Srikkanth, who remarked, “Parag did well one season, and that's it. He's just there for style and does nothing else,” in a comment shared via his YouTube channel.

Shimron Hetmyer contributed 22, while a steady partnership between Donovan Ferreira and Jadeja helped stabilise the innings in the middle overs. Jadeja then provided the late push, smashing 20 runs in the final over to remain unbeaten on 43 off 29 balls and take RR to a competitive total.

For Lucknow, Shami, Prince Yadav and Mohsin Khan picked up two wickets each, but the batting unit failed to back up the effort, with only Marsh making a significant contribution.

With this win, Rajasthan Royals climb to second spot on the points table with 10 points from seven matches, while Lucknow Super Giants remain in ninth place, still searching for consistency.