With a playoff spot in sight, the Kolkata Knight Riders hosted the Rajasthan Royals in a high-stakes showdown at Eden Gardens. KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and elected to bat on a flat, batting-friendly surface. The innings got off to a shaky start as Sunil Narine was dismissed early in the second over by Yudhvir Singh.
However, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Rahane steadied the ship, guiding KKR to 56/1 by the end of the powerplay. Gurbaz contributed a brisk 35 off 25 balls before falling in the eighth over, after which young Angkrish Raghuvanshi joined Rahane to build a crucial 42-run partnership.
The partnership helped KKR regain control, taking them to 107/2 in the 12th over before Riyan Parag broke through by dismissing Rahane in the 13th. That brought Andre Russell to the crease, and the Caribbean all-rounder wasted no time.
He lit up the stadium with a blistering 22-ball half-century, including a thrilling hat-trick of sixes off Maheesh Theekshana. Russell’s onslaught, combined with a late cameo from Rinku Singh, powered KKR to a commanding total of 206/4 in their 20 overs, setting the stage for a thrilling chase.
Rajasthan’s response got off to the worst possible start as both openers, Vaibhav Suryavanshi and debutant Kunal Rathore, were dismissed within the first two overs. Struggling at 9/2, the Royals looked in deep trouble. But Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag counterattacked brilliantly, taking RR to 59/2 by the end of the powerplay.
Jaiswal fell to Moeen Ali in the seventh over, and Varun Chakaravarthy soon added to their woes with a double strike in the eighth, removing Dhruv Jurel and Wanindu Hasaranga in quick succession.
Despite the setbacks, Riyan Parag stood tall and found a solid partner in Shimron Hetmyer. The two stitched together a vital 92-run stand that reignited Rajasthan’s hopes.
Parag reached his fifty in just 27 balls and thrilled the crowd with six consecutive sixes across two overs, shifting the momentum firmly toward RR. But just as the Royals seemed to take control, Harshit Rana delivered two massive blows, removing Hetmyer in the 16th over and Parag in the 18th, swinging the match back in KKR’s favor.
The game came down to the final over with Rajasthan needing 22 runs. Jofra Archer and Shubham Dubey were at the crease, and Dubey nearly pulled off a miracle by smashing two sixes and a four, bringing the equation down to just 3 runs off the final ball.
— ricky (@ricky5959046277) May 4, 2025
In a dramatic finish, a run-out on the last delivery crushed Rajasthan’s hopes. KKR clinched a thrilling one-run victory, keeping their playoff dreams alive and delivering one of the most electrifying matches of the IPL 2025 season.