RR vs KKR Review – Quinton de Kock hands Kolkata their first win
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) registered their first victory of IPL 2025, defeating Rajasthan Royals (RR) by eight wickets in Match 6 at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Wednesday. A brilliant inning from Quinton de Kock, who remained unbeaten on 97, ensured KKR’s clinical chase of 152 with 15 balls to spare.
Asked to bat first, the Royals got off to a decent start with 54/1 in the powerplay. Despite losing Sanju Samson (13 off 11) early, Yashasvi Jaiswal (29 off 24) and Riyan Parag (25 off 15) kept the scoreboard ticking. However, KKR’s Moeen Ali and Varun Chakaravarthy spin duo quickly started picking wickets.
Moeen dismissed a well-set Jaiswal and Nitish Rana in quick succession, finishing with figures of 2/23. Meanwhile, Chakaravarthy claimed 2/17, removing Parag and Wanindu Hasaranga. As wickets kept falling, RR were struggling at 82/5 in 11 overs.
Dhruv Jurel played a crucial knock of 33 off 28 balls, looking to take his side towards a respectable total. His innings and a late flourish from Jofra Archer (16 off 7) saw RR reach 151/9 in 20 overs. KKR’s pacers also played their part, with Vaibhav Arora (2/33) and Harshit Rana (2/36) chipping in with key breakthroughs.
In reply, KKR cautiously scored 70 runs in the first 10 overs. Moeen (5 off 12) fell early to a runout, while Rahane (18 off 15) also departed after a brief stand with de Kock. However, the South African wicketkeeper-batter took the onus upon himself for the chase. De Kock accelerated towards the end, smashing eight fours and six sixes in his unbeaten 97 off 61.
Angkrish Raghuvanshi provided solid support with an unbeaten 22 off 17 balls, ensuring KKR crossed the line comfortably at 153/2 in 17.3 overs. With this victory, KKR bounced back from their opening loss to RCB. Rajasthan, under the stand-in skipper Parag, will need to address their bowling concerns ahead of their next fixture.
Top Performers of the Match
Quinton de Kock (97* off 61)
Quinton de Kock, after having a poor start against RCB, made sure he put his past performance behind. Opening alongside Moeen Ali, de Kock started cautiously, but after the powerplay displayed his ability to hit all around the park. He hit eight boundaries and six maximums, batting at a strike rate of 159.01.
Varun Chakravarthy (2/17)
With his senior partner Sunil Narine missing out, Chakravarthy had a greater responsibility to play, which he did beautifully. He conceded just 17 runs and bagged two wickets in his quota of four overs. Amongst all the KKR bowlers, Chakravarthy had the best economy (4.25).
What’s next for both teams?
KKR’s next challenge is against five-time champions Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 31. On the other hand, Rajasthan Royals will play their next game at Barsapara Cricket Stadium against Chennai Super Kings on March 30.
