Wadhera, Shashank power Punjab Kings to 219/5 against Rajasthan Royals

Jaipur: Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh slammed fiery half-centuries to power Punjab Kings to 219 for 5 against Rajasthan Royals in an Indian Premier League match here on Sunday.

Wadhera slammed 70 off just 37 balls, a fiery knock in which he hit five fours and as many sixes. The innings was his highest IPL score.

Besides Wadhera, Shashank used his long handle to great effect to remain unbeaten on 59 off 30 balls. He hit five boundaries and three sixes in the process.

Opting to bat, PBKS made a quick start but lost Priyansh Arya in the second over when the opener chipped in a simple catch to Shimron Hetmyer off the bowling of Tushar Deshpande (2/37).

But Prabhsimran Singh continued his onslaught as he hit Kwena Maphaka for a four and six in the next over.

PBKS, however, kept on losing wickets as Mitchell Owen's IPL debut ended in a two-ball duck when he skied Maphaka delivery to RR skipper Sanju Samson..

The script became worse for PBKS when a dangerous-looking Prabhsimran departed in the first delivery of the next over when he got a feather edge while trying to glance a Deshpande delivery towards the leg side. The on-field umpire didn't give out initially but Samson, who took the catch behind the stumps, went for the review and the decision was reversed..

But then PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer and Nehal Wadhera joined hands nd shared quick 67 runs for the fourth wicket in just 44 balls to keep up the scoring rate.

Iyer looked in fine nick during his 25-ball 30, which was laced with five boundaries..

Iyer lost his wicket out of nowhere as he sliced a tossed up Riyan Parag delivery to Yashasvi Jaiswal at long-off.

Wadhera, on the other hand, was going great guns, even though he got a reprieve on 47 when he was dropped by Wanindu Hasaranga off his own bowling in the 12th over.

Wadhera cashed in on the chance and pulled Akash Madhwal to backward square leg fence to bring up his fifty in just 25 balls.

The left-hander didn't stop there and clobbered Madhwal for a maximum in the next ball. Wadhera was particularly lethal on the leg side as he hit most of his four and sixes in that area.

Wadhera's fine knock was cut short when he sliced a Madhwal delivery to Hetmyer while looking to clear the fence for a consecutive time.

Towards the end, Azmatullah Omarzai also played a good hand with an unbeaten nine-ball 21-run knock.