NEW DELHI: After a shaky start to their IPL 2025 campaign against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on March 22 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) roared back to form with an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday. The star of the night was Quinton de Kock, whose blistering knock guided KKR to their first win of the season, earning them two crucial points. This victory also marked KKR’s maiden triumph under Ajinkya Rahane’s captaincy.
De Kock’s innings was a masterclass in controlled aggression. He paced his knock perfectly, starting cautiously before unleashing an array of powerful strokes to dismantle the RR bowling attack. His unbeaten innings highlighted his ability to balance precision and power, reaffirming his reputation as one of the most dangerous openers in the IPL.
Earlier, Rahane won the toss and opted to bowl first, a decision that paid off as KKR’s bowlers applied relentless pressure. Despite a few sparks from Yashasvi Jaiswal (29 off 24) and Dhruv Jurel (33 off 28), RR struggled to build momentum and were restricted to 151/9. Varun Chakaravarthy (2/17) and Moeen Ali (2/23) were instrumental in choking the middle order, while Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora chipped in with timely wickets.
Chasing 152, KKR stumbled early when Moeen Ali was run out for just 5. However, de Kock took charge, displaying his brilliance with the bat. Despite losing Rahane for 18, the South African wicketkeeper-batsman kept the chase on track with a flurry of boundaries and towering sixes. His unbeaten knock featured eight fours and six maximums, ensuring KKR sealed the win with overs to spare.
With this dominant performance, KKR sent a strong message to their rivals. They now turn their focus to their next clash against five-time champions Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday, eager to maintain their momentum.
Read also: https://newsonthego.in/shreyas-iyer-to-shashank-singh-focus-on-the-team-not-my-hundred/
