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The 18th Match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 lit up the Mullanpur night on April 5th as the Punjab Kings took on the Rajasthan Royals in what turned into a high-energy contest with emotions flaring and tempers tested. PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to bat first, setting the stage for a power-packed game at the new cricketing hotspot in Punjab.
But while the batters from Rajasthan came out swinging, it was a moment of raw emotion from Sanju Samson that took center stage. The Royals captain, known for his calm and composed demeanour, shocked fans and pundits alike as he lost his cool after his dismissal — a rare sight that underscored the intensity of the match.
Sanju Samson’s outburst after getting out to Lockie Ferguson
It was the 10.2 over of the innings. Rajasthan Royals were cruising at 89 for no loss, with Sanju looking in fine touch, having already cracked 6 boundaries in his 38 off 26. Then came Lockie Ferguson, with fire in his eyes and pace on his mind.
Ferguson bowled a full delivery just outside off — nothing too extravagant, but enough to tempt. Samson, eyeing a boundary over mid-off, went for the lofted drive. But he failed to get under it cleanly. The ball flew straight to PBKS skipper Iyer stationed at mid-off, who held on with ease.
What followed was uncharacteristic and dramatic. Sanju, visibly frustrated, flung his bat toward mid-off in pure anger. It wasn’t aimed at anyone, but the emotion was raw. He stormed off the field with his helmet still on, disappointed not just at the dismissal, but perhaps at missing a golden chance to post a big one in a dominant position. The camera caught every second of it — a captain’s fury unveiled on the biggest stage.
Here’s the video:
A timely wicket for #PBKS & Sanju's reaction says it all 🥲
Watch LIVE action ➡ https://t.co/Ydn8W1CxFx#IPLonJioStar 👉 #PBKSvRR | LIVE NOW on Star Sports Network & JioHotstar! pic.twitter.com/Dz1bTMp0hU
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) April 5, 2025
Also READ: Fans go berserk as KL Rahul’s exceptional knock against CSK keeps DC on a winning streak in IPL 2025
Rajasthan Royals in command
Despite the emotional blow of losing their captain, the Royals remained on course for a strong total. At the end of their 20 overs, Royals stood tall at 205/4 with Dhruv Jurel and Riyan Parag at the crease. Jaiswal was anchoring the innings beautifully before losing his wicket to Ferguson with 67 off 45 deliveries, peppered with 2 fours and 5 sixes, striking at 148.88.
Riyan Parag too joined the party and scored 43 with Jurel contributing with quick cameo of 13 in just 5 balls. The fall of Sanju didn’t seem to slow the Royals’ momentum, as the run rate remained high at 10.25 runs per over.
PBKS struggles to contain RR batters
Punjab Kings’ bowlers found little success in the opening overs. Arshdeep Singh and Marco Jansen were expensive early on, while Yuzvendra Chahal struggled to find control, leaking 32 runs in 3 overs without a wicket. Ferguson, however, was the standout — not just for the wicket of Samson but also for his economical spell, conceding just 32 runs in 4 overs and maintaining a tight leash with his pace. Glenn Maxwell, brought in to shake things up, bowled just one over for 6 runs, while Marcus Stoinis had an expensive outing of 4 overs for 48 runs.
