Rajasthan vs Punjab: Top 5 Memorable Encounters

During Game 8 of the Indian T20 League (ITL) 2023 season, Rajasthan will host Punjab at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati. Both teams are looking to capitalise on their winning starts to their respective seasons. To that end, here are the five matches between Rajasthan and Punjab that stand out in the history of the Indian T20 League.

5. Super Over finish in ITL 2015

Shaun Marsh (Source: Twitter)

It might be argued that during Match 18 of the 2015 ITL season in Ahmedabad, the fans saw the gripping rivalry between Rajasthan and Punjab for the first time. With a last-ball boundary from Axar Patel that propelled them into the Super Over, Rajasthan and Punjab reached 191 in their 20 overs.

David Miller was out on the first ball, giving Rajasthan a great start to the Super Over. But Shaun Marsh’s spectaculars ensured Punjab scored 15 runs in that over. In response, Rajasthan lost both of their wickets and could not bat out their entire innings, giving Punjab a dramatic victory.

4. Ashwin’s ‘Mankad’ incident in 2019

Ravichandran Ashwin (Source: Twitter)

Ravichandran Ashwin is one of the most intellectual cricketers now playing, and his leadership of the Punjab team in 2019 was a prime illustration of this. Punjab had set a goal of 185 for the hosts in their first game of the year against Rajasthan.

In response, Jos Buttler was in top form, and while he was at the wicket, it looked like Rajasthan would triumph handily. But that was not to be as Buttler was run out by Ashwin at the non-striker’s end, which created a great discussion about the “spirit of cricket.”

Although Ashwin had every right to run Buttler out before bowling, many former cricketers believed it went against the spirit of the game. Punjab won that contest by 14 runs, and since then, there has been ongoing discussion regarding the non-striker run-out.

3. Rahul Tewatia show in ITL 2020

Rahul Tewatia, Rajasthan (Source: twitter)

Several high scores were recorded during the ITL 2020 season played in the UAE, particularly at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. One such high-scoring fight included Rajasthan and Punjab, in which Rahul Tewatia had possibly one of the best villain-to-hero performances.

A superb fifty from Steve Smith and an explosive 85 from Sanju Samson put Rajasthan in the hunt after Punjab set a massive 227 for Rajasthan to win the match. Tewatia was moved up the order to get a quick cameo, but at first, it didn’t seem to work as the southpaw had trouble connecting with the ball.

Even the on-air analysts advised Tewatia to throw away his wicket so the new batter could enter because the innings had gotten so far. But with that one over from Sheldon Cottrell, everything changed. The game was flipped on its head when Tewatia hit Cottrell with five sixes in one over. Tewatia is remembered for his inning, which helped Rajasthan win the game with three balls remaining.

2. Arshdeep overshadows Sanju Samson’s hundred in 2021

Arshdeep Singh (Source: Twitter)

Rajasthan and Punjab played in two thrillers during the ITL 2021 season, the first of which took place at the Wankhede Stadium and was once more a run-fest. Punjab raised a huge target of 222 thanks to KL Rahul’s strong 90 and a scorching cameo of 64.

Sanju Samson, Rajasthan’s captain, motivated the team to chase down this enormous score. Samson struck a magnificent hundred in his first game leading the Rajasthan and nearly winning the match for Punjab.

But, in the final over, a teenaged Arshdeep Singh maintained composure and flawlessly carried out his strategies as Rajasthan fell short by 4 runs. People praised Samson’s work but also discovered Arshdeep as a new star.

1. Karthik Tyagi’s heroics in ITL 2021

Karthik Tyagi (Source: Twitter)

Kartik Tyagi is known for his accomplishments for India at the U19 World Cup in 2020 and how he held Punjab to just 4 runs in the final over of the ITL in 2021. Punjab was 182/2 after 19 overs, needing 186 runs to win, with Nicholas Pooran and Aiden Markram batting. Tyagi just kept things straightforward as he kept nailing wide yorkers.

The strain mounted with each dot ball, and Punjab lost two wickets. The Rajasthan players couldn’t believe their good fortune as Tyagi secured an unlikely victory with just one run allowed in the last over.

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