All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was the primary reason Rajasthan Royals (RR) secured a 40-run win during a topsy-turvy contest against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Match No. 32 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. After his unbeaten 43 off 29 that saved RR from a collapse, followed by a match-defining tight spell of 1-29 in the second innings, Jadeja was declared the Player of the Match.
As he accepted the POTM award and went for a chat with Murali Karthik to reflect upon the performance, Jadeja took a moment and dedicated the award to his wife, Rivaba Jadeja, fondly calling her by her professional post of being the Education Minister of Gujarat.
“Feeling good, getting Man of the Match and winning. I would like to dedicate this award to the Education Minister of Gujarat. She said yesterday that I will do well, and I did,” Jadeja said at the post-match presentation.
Jadeja, who won his first-ever POTM after his reunion with RR in 2026, said that he wanted to stay in the middle while wickets kept tumbling at the other end. Eventually, his settled start and a late flourish alongside Shubham Dubey (19* off 11) helped RR post a total of 159-5 in 20 overs, which they were able to defend, bundling LSG out for 119.
“Wicket was not easy to bat because the ball was seaming and swinging. I wanted to play long as much as I can. In T20 cricket, you never know last over you can cash in and we did. [On the last over] Not easy coming back from injury. I was just backing my strength. I was telling my partner to wait and go after the bowling.
“[On the celebration after taking Pooran’s wicket] Yes, Nicholas Pooran is in my pocket. Random thought came into my mind and I did it. [On bowling slow] The ball was gripping so I was thinking whether I should bowl quicker or slow. When bowling slow, I got some hold and that helped,” the cricketer added.
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