Cricket: Blackcaps' Trent Boult snares brilliant Indian Premier League caught, bowled for seventh first-over wicket of season

Blackcaps bowler Trent Boult has struck in the first over for the seventh time this Indian Premier League season, reeling in a stunning caught and bowled in Rajasthan Royals' victory over Punjab Kings.

Opening the bowling, Boult struck with the second ball of the match at Dharamsala, as Prabhsimran Singh chipped a checked drive into the Kiwi's vicinity.

Among the world's best fielders off his own bowling, Boult leapt to his right to complete the catch and leave Punjab 2/1 after two balls.

He finished with figures of 1/35 from his four overs, as Rajasthan restricted Punjab to 187/5 from their 20 overs.

Indian Navdeep Saini was the pick of the bowlers with 3/40, while Australian spinner Adam Zampa took 1/26 from his complete spell.

So far this IPL season, Boult has 13 wickets in 10 matches, at an average of 24 runs per wicket.

Chasing 188 for victory, the Royals achieved their target in the final over.

Half-centuries to Indian pair Yashasvi Jaiswal (50) and Devdutt Padikkal (51) contributed the bulk of the total, before 46 from 28 balls to West Indian Shimron Hetmyer helped finish the job.

Boult chipped in with one not out and was unbeaten at the non-striker's end, when Dhruv Jurel (10 not out) sealed the win with two balls to spare.

The victory sees the Royals into fifth on the IPL ladder, outside playoff contention on net run rate, behind Royal Challengers Bangalore - both on 14 points.

With no regular season matches remaining, Boult's Royals need favours from elsewhere to move past both Mumbai Indians and Bangalore to the post-season.

Punjab are eighth with 12 points and are already out of contention.