Pandey and Holder step up as Sunrisers end losing streak
David Warner's Sunrisers had lost three consecutive games but ended their slump with an impressive performance in Dubai on Thursday.
West Indies captain Holder, unsold at the IPL auction but drafted in to replace the injured Mitchell Marsh last month, took 3-33 and also ran out Robin Uthappa in his first appearance of the tournament.
Sanju Samson top-scored with 36 and Ben Stokes laboured to 30 as the Royals could only post 154-6 after Warner put them in.
Jofra Archer blasted a quickfire 16 and then removed Warner yet again before bowling his England team-mate Jonny Bairstow in a rapid early burst.
At 16-2 in the third over of Sunrisers' reply it was very much game on, but an unbroken stand of 140 between Pandey (83 not out) and Vijak Shankar (52) consigned Rajasthan to defeat.
Pandey was the chief aggressor, hitting eight sixes in a brilliant 47-ball knock to move Sunrisers up to fifth, finding great support from Shankar, who hit the winning runs off the first ball of the 19th over.
HOLDER GRASPS HIS CHANCE
All-rounder Holder was given his opportunity after Kane Williamson was ruled out and he grabbed it with both hands.
He ended an opening stand of 30 by producing a sharp piece of work to dismiss Uthappa with a direct hit and then bowled the dangerous Samson with a slower ball, having seen the previous delivery disappear for six.
Holder was not finished there, removing Steve Smith and Riyan Parag from successive deliveries. He bowled 11 dot balls in an impressive start with ball in hand.
PANDEY PUMMELS ROYALS
Archer rocked Sunrisers with a hostile opening spell, Stokes taking a good slip catch to ensure his England colleague has dismissed the Australia opener six times in seven innings.
Bairstow also failed to hang around, but Pandey and Shankar took charge of the run chase with a stand that sapped the life out of the Royals.
Shankar was content to score at just over a run a ball as Pandey produced a masterful display of timing, power and use of the feet, reaching his half-century in 28 balls and finishing with a 176.59 strike rate.
Kartik Tyagi and Stokes were hit for three sixes apiece as Pandey put the Royals attack to the sword. Only Samson and Ishan Kishan - with nine apiece - have scored more maximums in an IPL innings this year.