In a rare slow-burn Indian Premier League (IPL) contest, Rajasthan Royals defeated Lucknow Super Giants by 40 runs at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Wednesday (April 22, 2026) by successfully defending this season’s lowest total.

After the Royals managed just 159, Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger reduced the Super Giants to 31 for three in the PowerPlay, as Ayush Badoni, Rishabh Pant and Aiden Markram fell for ducks.

After the skies threatened to open up, Rajasthan Royals produced a downpour of wickets as Chennai Super Kings was consigned to a disastrous start in the season opener at the ACA-Barsapara Stadium here on Monday (March 30, 2026). The relentless display from the hosts’ bowlers knocked out the visitors for 127.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi smashed a 17-ball 52, with five towering sixes and four crisp fours, as the Riyan Parag-led outfit romped to an eight-wicket win with 47 balls to spare.

Royals drew first blood after opting to bowl. Opener Sanju Samson’s much-anticipated debut ended in a brief stay as he was castled by a peach of a delivery from left-arm seamer Nandre Burger in the second over.

Jofra Archer made it worse for Super Kings when he sent back skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad with a full delivery that crashed into the stumps. Ayush Mhatre fell for a golden duck as a searing short ball from Burger kissed the glove. Super Kings was reeling at 19 for three at that stage.

Impact Player Sarfaraz Khan counterattacked, pulling Burger for a boundary through mid-wicket and lofting a length ball over deep-midwicket.

The introduction of the ever-reliable Sandeep Sharma ended Mathew Short’s stay as he misjudged a loopy delivery and was caught at mid-wicket, leaving Super Kings precariously placed at 41 for four in the PowerPlay.

Debutant Kartik Sharma, who joined Sarfaraz, dispatched leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi over deep square-leg for a maximum. Just as the duo looked to rebuild, Ravindra Jadeja, playing in pink, struck. The left-arm spinner trapped Sarfaraz in front and forced Shivam Dube to mishit to long-off.

Brijesh Sharma, making his debut for Rajasthan, had Kartik leg-before with a full-length delivery. Jamie Overton’s determined knock — 43 (36b, 2×4, 2×6) — pushed Super Kings past the 120-run mark. Once Suryavanshi emerged from the dugout, the result was never in doubt.