RR chase 223 to equal IPL record

• Rajasthan Royals chase 223 against Punjab Kings at Chandigarh
• Vaibhav Sooryavanshi hits 43 off 16 to lead the massive chase
• This is the 9th successful 200+ chase in just 40 IPL 2026 matches

If there was any doubt that a score of 200 is no longer a safe haven in T20 cricket, the 40th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 completely

shattered it. The clash between the Punjab Kings (PBKS) and the Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the New Chandigarh Stadium perfectly encapsulated the brutal nature of modern IPL batting.

Punjab Kings put up what historically would be considered a match-winning total of 222. Anchored by Prabhsimran Singh's composed 59 and propelled into the stratosphere by Marcus Stoinis's monstrous unbeaten 62 off just 22 balls, PBKS set a daunting target of 223.

However, the Rajasthan Royals walked out to bat without a shred of intimidation. Their openers launched an absolute blitzkrieg in the powerplay. 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi hammered 43 off 16 balls (featuring two audacious MS Dhoni-style helicopter sixes), while Yashasvi Jaiswal brought up his 20th fifty-plus score for the franchise with a blistering 51 off 27 balls. The Royals made a mockery of the massive target, successfully hunting it down and adding another chapter to a season that has been thoroughly merciless on the bowling fraternity.

The Brutality of IPL 2026: 9th 200+ Chase in Just 40 Matches

The Rajasthan Royals' victory wasn't just a phenomenal standalone performance; it was a glaring reflection of a much larger, terrifying trend for bowlers in IPL 2026. This successful chase of 223 marked the 9th time a team has successfully chased a target of 200 or more this season and we are only 40 matches into the tournament!

To put this into perspective, let's look at the record for the most 200+ successful chases in an IPL season:

9 in 2026 (In just 40 matches)

9 in 2025

8 in 2023

6 in 2024

We are barely past the halfway mark of the 2026 season, and the all-time record set during the entirety of the 2025 campaign has already been equalled. If the first 40 matches are any indicator, the 2026 IPL season is on track to completely rewrite the record books. Bowlers are being forced back to the drawing board, because in this brutal new era of the IPL, no target is out of reach.