Jaipur, May 18 (IANS) Punjab Kings batter Nehal Wadhera credited the team’s batting unit after they scored 219/5 against Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2025 encounter at Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Sunday.

Wadhera was the catalyst of Punjab’s massive total as he played a knock of 70 runs in 37 balls studded with five sixes and as many fours and was also involved in two fifty-plus partnerships with captain Shreyas Iyer and Shashank Singh.

It was Wadhera’s second half-century of the season. Iyer played a knock of 30 runs while Shashank smashed a 27-ball half-century, his second of the season.

Shashank remained unbeaten on 59 with the help of three sixes and five fours while Azmatullah Omarzai was not out on nine-ball 21. The duo added 60 runs in the last four overs to steer Punjab to a massive total in the afternoon match.

“It was wonderful batting there today. I think, Shreyas bhai and me, both played well together. I think 220 is a very good score on this wicket. Shashank and Omarzai played well towards end,” Wadhera said during the mid-innings break.

The 24-year-old added that a positive approach to hitting the loose balls helped them across the season to touch the 200-run mark frequently.

“The talks have been clear with the captain and coach. We have to punish the loose balls, that’s why we are scoring 200 runs frequently. That positive approach has helped us. I think the preparations happen in the nets. The way the players play in the nets, they play similarly in the game. It is quite hot today, but the surface is looking good. We have good bowlers, I am pretty sure we are going to nail this game,” Wadhera added.

Barring Tushar Deshpande, who finished with the figures of 2-37 in his four overs, nothing was promising for the home side against Punjab’s firing batting line-up.

A win here will seal the playoffs spot for the Iyer-led side while Rajasthan are playing for pride after being knocked out of the season.

–IANS

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