Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) made a strong start in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 with a convincing win over Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati. A well-rounded performance in both bowling and fielding set the stage, while Quinton de Kock’s brilliant innings secured an eight-wicket victory.
Each of KKR’s five bowlers played a crucial role in taking wickets, but the spin duo of Varun Chakaravarthy (2-17) and Moeen Ali (2-23) stood out. Chasing a target of 152, De Kock delivered a masterclass, remaining unbeaten on 97 off 61 balls, hitting eight fours and six sixes. His knock ensured KKR reached the target in just 17.3 overs.
RR, batting first, saw Yashasvi Jaiswal start positively with an early boundary. He reached the milestone of 200 IPL fours and smashed a massive 89-meter six over mid-wicket. However, Vaibhav Arora provided KKR with their first breakthrough by dismissing Sanju Samson, breaking the 33-run opening stand.
RR’s stand-in captain, Riyan Parag, played a quick knock of 25 off 15 balls, which included three sixes, one of them a stylish one-handed shot over deep square leg.
Momentum shifted in KKR’s favor when Moeen Ali and Varun Chakaravarthy took control. Ali, playing his first game for KKR in place of the unwell Sunil Narine, dismissed Parag with a catch taken by De Kock.
Shortly after, Jaiswal was caught in the deep, and the dismissals of Wanindu Hasaranga and Nitish Rana further weakened RR, reducing them to 82/5 in 11 overs.
Dhruv Jurel tried to steady the innings with a 28-ball 33, while Jofra Archer’s quick 16 off 7 balls added some late runs. However, RR finished at 151/9. KKR’s disciplined bowling attack made a significant difference,
with Arora and Harshit Rana also picking up two wickets each. The combined 18 dot balls from Ali and Chakaravarthy proved crucial in restricting the total.
In response, KKR started steadily, reaching 40/0 in the powerplay. RR’s spinners tried to slow the scoring, and KKR lost Moeen Ali (5 off 12) and captain Ajinkya Rahane (18 off 15) early. However, De Kock continued his impressive form, completing a half-century in 35 balls with a six off Hasaranga. Another six off Parag accelerated KKR’s chase as they reached 90/2 in 12 overs.
Angkrish Raghuvanshi played a composed innings of 22 off 17 balls, ensuring KKR didn’t face any hurdles. De Kock remained aggressive and finished the match in style.
With only 17 runs needed in the final three overs, he smashed a four and two sixes in quick succession off Archer to secure the win with 15 balls to spare.
With this victory, KKR climbed to sixth place on the points table, while RR, after two consecutive defeats, remained at the bottom.
Brief Scorecard:
- Kolkata Knight Riders: 153/2 in 17.3 overs (Quinton de Kock 97*, Angkrish Raghuvanshi 22*, Wanindu Hasaranga 1-34)
- Rajasthan Royals: 151/9 in 20 overs (Dhruv Jurel 33, Yashasvi Jaiswal 29, Varun Chakaravarthy 2/17, Moeen Ali 2/23)
- Result: KKR won by eight wickets.