World
India
In a controlled and composed chase at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Quinton de Kock delivered a masterclass as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) secured an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the IPL 2025 clash. Chasing a modest target of 152, KKR displayed remarkable poise, with de Kock leading the charge and remaining unbeaten at 97 off 61 balls, striking 8 fours and 6 sixes.
Clinical Bowling Display Restricts Rajasthan
Earlier in the match, KKR’s bowlers made excellent use of the sluggish pitch to keep RR batters in check. Captain Ajinkya Rahane’s decision to bowl first after winning the toss paid off handsomely.
A disciplined bowling effort from Varun Chakaravarthy (2 for 17), Moeen Ali (2 for 23), and Vaibhav Arora ensured that RR struggled to build momentum. Harshit Rana also contributed effectively, picking up two crucial wickets.
Despite their struggles, RR managed to post a total of 151 for 9 in 20 overs, thanks to Dhruv Jurel’s determined 33-run knock off 28 balls. His innings provided some stability, but RR fell short of setting a truly challenging target.
De Kock’s Commanding Knock
In response, KKR got off to a slow start, playing cautiously in the powerplay against the RR pacers. Moeen Ali and de Kock initially played out the new-ball attack before the South African took on Maheesh Theekshana with aggressive stroke play. However, Moeen Ali was run out just after the powerplay, allowing Rajasthan to slow things down with their spinners.
RR, however, overplayed their spin attack, making their bowling predictable. Wanindu Hasaranga struggled with his lengths, giving KKR batters the opportunity to find easy scoring shots.
Despite losing two wickets around him, Quinton de Kock anchored the innings with calculated aggression. He targeted the spinners effectively and then finished the chase in style against Jofra Archer.
Youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi played a vital supporting role, staying unbeaten on 22 and ensuring that KKR crossed the finish line comfortably.
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