Punjab edge closer to IPL playoff spot

JAIPUR, May 18 (PTI): Left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar bowled a match-turning spell after Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh made bruising fifties as Punjab Kings edged closer to an IPL playoff berth with a 10-run win over Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur on Sunday, reports PTI.

Brar, who came in as a substitute for skipper Shreyas Iyer -- possibly unwell due to extreme heat -- was introduced in the fifth over and the left-arm spinner walked away with an impressive 3/22 in four overs, helping Punjab to restrict Rajasthan to 209/7 in the chase of 220. The Punjab side had earlier made 219 for five riding on an unbeaten on 59 off 30 deliveries (5x4, 3x6) by Shashank and Wadhera (70, 37b, 5x4, 5x6). With this win, Punjab (NRR: 0.38) climbed to 17 points and they are second on the table behind leaders Bengaluru (17 points, 0.48) on net run rate difference.