The Rajasthan Royals vs Punjab Kings clashes are one of the blockbuster brawls in IPL history. Be it nail biting finishes or massive innings, the RR vs PBKS rivalry keeps cricket fans entertained every season. Both teams were new to the IPL in 2008 and have forged a bit of a rivalry since then.
Generally, Rajasthan Royals have had the numbers against Punjab Kings in IPL history. RR have played more matches and won more games in this rivalry, according to official statistics.
Rajasthan Royals vs Punjab Kings Head-to-Head Record
| Matches Played | Rajasthan Royals Wins | Punjab Kings Wins | No Result |
| 31 | 18 | 13 | 0 |
Rajasthan Royals have maintained a slight dominance in the rivalry, especially at their home ground in Jaipur.
Rajasthan Royals vs Punjab Kings Time Line (2008 – 2026)
2008 anu – The Start of a Rivalry
RR and PBKS first met on April 21, 2008 in the inaugural IPL. Match 47: Rajasthan Royals beat Punjab Kings by six wickets at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur Shane Watson scored an unbeaten 76 phenomenal knock whereas Shane Warne had a great day with the ball.
A few days later in the same season, Punjab Kings fought back with aplomb. SAHIL SHAH 2018-04-12T09:38:10.Z+0530 If there was a blueprint for an IPL player, Shaun Marsh would have fit right into it after the tournament’s inaugural season. It was in 2008 where Punjab Kings ultimately made it to the semi-finals as Rajasthan Royals went on to win the IPL under Shane Warne.
2009 – Low-Scoring Battles
The second IPL season of 2009 was played in South Africa. Neither RR nor PBKS had a great year but their matches kept competitive. The battles were one-sided for most part with the pitches being slow and offering help to the bowlers.
Rajasthan Royals hid Punjab Kings comfortably bowling off an intense challenge simply through their discipline and methods. That rivalry was still in its infancy, but fans were already beginning to appreciate the lack of predictability these matches offered him.
2010 – Rajasthan Royals’ Dominance
IPL 2010 was the largest win that Rajasthan Royals has secured over Punjab Kings (Image Source: IPL) Ajinkya Rahane, RR vs PBKS 2nd T20I Jaipur: RR won by nine wickets. Michael Lumb played an innings of 83 runs off just 43 balls and blasted the Punjab bowlers all over the park.
Rajasthan began to get a foothold in the rivalry by showcasing their aggressive attacking batting style with highlights from this match.
2012 – A spell cast by Kevon Cooper
One such significant bowling performance in this rivalry came five years back in IPL 2012. Entered into the digital world with a fantastic spell of 4/26 for the Rajasthan Royals against Punjab Kings, Jaipur
RR won the match easily, and Cooper was a fan-favorite for his ability to take wickets at an amazing rate under pressure.
2013 – Close Exits and Big Bangers
Both teams played close contests during IPL 2013. Rajasthan Royals depended more on collective efforts and senior players while Punjab seemed to be banking on power-hitting.
Many of the games went down to the final overs, such was how close together the two teams had now staked their claims. While Rajasthan Royals still had superior overall records but Punjab Kings were increasingly closing the gap.
2014 – Punjab Kings Project
The 2014 Indian Premier League (IPL) season was one of the franchise owners Punjab Kingss finest seasons. Under the explosive batting of Glenn Maxwell and a never-ending stream of runs from David Miller, PBKS emerged as one of the most formidable teams in the tournament.
They won an important league-stage match against Rajasthan Royals to reach the IPL final. Their over aggressive style made them able to challenge RR better than previously.
2015 – Rajasthan Royals Stay Consistent
The Rajasthan Royals came back from a disappointing IPL 2014 to finish the 2015 season with balanced displays in both batting and bowling. Their fixtures against the Punjab Kings always ended up being entertaining.
In this phase of the innings, RR’s bowling attack was brilliant in revival mode restricting Punjab to a mere 42 runs in their last 7 overs even when they were a more powerful batting side.
2018 – The Come back of the Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals returned in IPL 2018 after a two-year suspension. Fans will very much be delighted to see RR back in action against Punjab Kings.
A very vivid memory was when KL Rahul smashed a few glorious innings for his Punjab Kings’ side, while the Rajasthan Royals in turn depended solely on lower order stability of Ajinkya Rahane and Jos Buttler.
The rivalry progressed into a modern and attacking one as the mid-2000s saw T20 cricket morphing into an innings of 160–180 runs.
2020 – Historic Run Chaser at Sharjah
IPL 2020 was the stage for one of the best RR vs PBKS matches ever. Punjab Kings scored a mammoth 223/2 with the help of Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul.
The Rajasthan Royals pulled off an unbelievable chase to respond. In short time Rahul Tewatia single handedly reversed the game by smashing five sixes in an over to Sheldon Cottrell. Sanju Samson too opened his arms and made a dazzling 85 runs.
Chasing 224 runs, RR prevailed in what is one of the best matches in IPL history.
2021 – Sanju Samson’s Magnificent Century
It was yet another memorable RR vs PBKS game at IPL 2021. Sanju Samson, captain for Rajasthan Royals put in a side knock scoring 119 runs as they chased down mammoth target.
Even though Samson played a brilliant innings, Rajasthan Royals lost the match by four runs. Punjab Kings’ Arshdeep Singh (better death bowler than you),
This one match was still fresh in people’s memory as one of the greatest individual efforts to be seen in IPL history.
2022 – Balanced Competition
Both franchises had built teams that contained plenty of youth and spark by IPL 2022. Rajasthan Royals were stronger with Jos Buttler, and Punjab Kings concentrated on aggressive middle-order batting.
It soured, the teams were now more evenly matched on any given day. d d f
2023 – Young Stars Shine
The 2023 season brought us quite a few promising new names into the rivalry. Rajasthan Royals stuck to their guns with a cavalier top-order batting approach, while Punjab Kings opened up fearless new avenues behind strong leadership.
THE good news is games between the two sides continued to be well worth tuning in for, full of high scores, quick run chases and nailbiting finishes. c
2025 – Rajasthan Royals scored a huge win
It was one of the most dominating performances of recent IPL history from the Rajasthan Royals as they won by 50 runs against Punjab Kings in Ranji Trophy 2025 There were whispers that Dayal and Jaiswal would be rested for the final fixture in New York, but both played a major role with Yashasvi’s brilliant innings guiding RR to a mammoth total.
Despite having a strong batting case, Punjab Kings fell short while chasing.
2026 – Another High-Scoring Thriller
Then it was IPL 2026, another heated chapter to that rivalry. 445 Punjab Kings 223 vs Rajasthan Royals won by 6 wickets During the chase, Donovan Ferreira played a match-winning innings.
It was also Punjab Kings’ first defeat of the season.
Key Records in RR vs PBKS Rivalry
| Record | Player/Team |
| Most Wins | Rajasthan Royals |
| Highest Team Score (RR) | 228/4 |
| Highest Team Score (PBKS) | 223/2 |
| Highest Individual Score (RR) | Sanju Samson – 119 |
| Highest Individual Score (PBKS) | Shaun Marsh – 115 |
| Best Bowling Figures (RR) | Kevon Cooper – 4/26 |
| Best Bowling Figures (PBKS) | Arshdeep Singh – 5/32 |
What Makes RR vs PBKS Matches Special
Rajasthan Royals v Punjab Kings – Old Rivals Both teams like to play attacking T20 cricket. Their matches often feature:
- Massive scores
- Last-over finishes
- Explosive batting
- Young Indian talents
- Memorable individual performances
Games between RR vs PBKS are exciting every season, for the sheer fact that unlike IPL rivalries like KKR vs CSK with superstars as head, this rivalry is anything but predictable and therefore entertaining.
Read more: Rajasthan Royals vs Gujarat Titans Timeline || Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans Timeline || Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Mumbai Indians Timeline || Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Titans Timeline
Conclusion
IPL itself reflects the timeline of Rajasthan Royals vs Punjab Kings. Be it from Shane Warne leading the side in 2008 to now stars like Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal, this rivalry has always entertained the cricketing world.
Currently, Rajasthan Royals are ahead in the head-to-head records but Punjab Kings have time and again proved that they can bounce back through aggressive cricket. More such exciting moments could be in store for the fans as these IPL seasons arrive.