Image: Andre Russell's explosive finish powers KKR past RR in a thrilling last-over win / © CricXtasy
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) put up a strong total of 206/4 after being asked to bat first at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, in a crucial must-win game for their playoff hopes. The innings began with a bit of instability but ended on a high thanks to a blazing knock by Andre Russell while on the other hand, Riyan Parag played an amazing innings but still ended up on the losing side.
The opening pair of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Sunil Narine didn’t last long together. Narine fell early for just 11 (9 balls), caught after trying to force the pace, with the score at 13 in the second over. Gurbaz, however, played fluently, hitting 35 runs off 25 balls, including 4 fours and a six, before getting out to Maheesh Theekshana. The middle-order then had to stabilize the innings. Ajinkya Rahane, leading the side despite an injury concern, anchored for a while and struck a useful 30 from 24 deliveries. He added a vital 42-run stand with young Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who impressed once again with a steady knock of 44 off 31 balls, showing good composure under pressure.
However, it was Andre Russell who changed the game completely. Coming in at No. 5, Russell unleashed his power-hitting right when it mattered most. He hammered an unbeaten 57 off just 25 balls, smashing 4 fours and 6 towering sixes at a strike rate of 228. He was ably supported by Rinku Singh, who added a quickfire 19 off just 6 balls, including 2 sixes.
KKR’s run-rate surged in the final overs, thanks to Russell and Rinku’s clean striking. They scored 50 runs in the last 16 balls, taking the total past 200. Russell’s fifty came off just 22 balls which was a true match-defining effort.
For Rajasthan Royals, the bowling was below-par. Jofra Archer was economical, taking 1/30 in 4 overs, and Riyan Parag chipped in with 1/21 in his 3 overs. But the rest of the attack struggled: Akash Madhwal conceded 50 runs in 3 overs, and Maheesh Theekshana went for 41 in his full quota. Wanindu Hasaranga went wicketless for 35 runs, and the support bowlers couldn’t contain the KKR batters at the death as they ended with a strong total of 206/4, putting the pressure firmly on Rajasthan.
Chasing 207 for victory, Rajasthan Royals (RR) came heartbreakingly close but fell short by just 1 run, finishing at 205/8 after 20 overs. Despite losing early wickets, they nearly pulled off a miracle, largely thanks to a stunning knock by skipper Riyan Parag. The Royals’ chase began in dramatic fashion. Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the opener, smashed a boundary off his second ball but was dismissed in the same over for 4. Kunal Singh Rathore followed soon after for a 5-ball duck. Both wickets fell in the first two overs, reducing RR to 8/2.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, who looked in good touch, played a brisk innings of 34 from 21 balls, with 5 fours and a six, but his dismissal in the seventh over left RR in trouble at 66/3. Then, a collapse followed as Dhruv Jurel and Hasaranga were dismissed quickly, making it 71/5 inside 8 overs. Just when it looked like the game was slipping away, Riyan Parag launched an extraordinary counterattack.
He took charge, smashing bowlers to all parts of the ground. Parag’s breathtaking innings of 95 runs off just 45 balls included 6 fours and 8 sixes. He even made history by becoming the first batter in IPL history to hit six sixes in successive legal deliveries, though spread across overs. He shared a 92-run partnership with Shimron Hetmyer (29 off 23) that brought RR back into the contest. Hetmyer played the supporting role, rotating the strike and hitting one six.
However, the 16th over proved pivotal. Hetmyer was dismissed, and Parag soon followed in the 18th over, falling just 5 short of what would have been one of the greatest IPL hundreds. Even then, the chase wasn’t over as Shubham Dubey tried his best with a quick 25 off 14 balls, and Jofra Archer contributed 12 off 8. Going into the final over, RR needed 9 runs. Dubey hit a boundary and a couple of twos, but with 3 needed off the last ball, he couldn’t find the fence, and RR lost by a single run.
For KKR, the bowling was patchy early on but came back strong. Harshit Rana and Varun Chakravarthy were the best bowlers, picking 2 wickets each. Harshit took 2/41 while Varun had 2/32, both bowling in high-pressure overs. Moeen Ali was expensive but effective, taking 2 wickets as well. Sunil Narine bowled a very tight spell, conceding only 27 in his 4 overs despite going wicketless. Ultimately, KKR held their nerve in the last over and managed to sneak in a thrilling win.
This narrow win was crucial for Kolkata Knight Riders, who now have 11 points from 11 matches, placing them 6th in the IPL 2025 points table with a Net Run Rate (NRR) of +0.249. This result keeps their playoff hopes alive, especially if they can win their remaining games and improve their NRR.
On the other hand, Rajasthan Royals are all but out of the playoff race. With this heartbreaking loss, they remain at 6 points from 12 matches, sitting at 8th on the table. Their NRR of -0.718 and only 3 wins make it almost impossible for them to make the top four now, even mathematically.
In the game between the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Rajasthan Royals, the TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Day easily goes to Riyan Parag for his explosive assault on Moeen Ali during the 13th over of the run chase. With Rajasthan struggling at 134/5, needing 73 runs off 42 balls, Parag took it upon himself to turn the tide with an incredible display of power-hitting that brought the match back to life. The over started quietly with Shimron Hetmyer nudging a single. Then came Parag’s onslaught as five sixes in a row, launching Moeen’s off-spin to every corner of Eden Gardens.
He began with a brutal flick over deep square leg, followed by a downtown strike over long-on. Not stopping there, he repeated the deep square leg shot for a third six. The fourth came as he stood tall and smoked one over long-on again, and the fifth was a stunning loft over long-off, capped off a magical sequence. Moeen tried to adjust by bowling wide but overstepped, conceding a wide. Parag scored 32 runs in that over alone, boosting his score to 75 off just 31 balls and injecting fresh hope into Rajasthan’s chase.
With the TCNI’s Hero of the Day going to Andre Russell, it was his explosive batting in the death overs that turned the match in Kolkata Knight Riders’ favour and helped them win a thrilling contest by just 1 run against Rajasthan Royals. Coming in at a time when KKR needed acceleration, Russell showcased his trademark power-hitting by smashing 57 not out off just 25 balls, including 4 fours and 6 sixes. His knock came just when the innings was losing momentum.
After the solid platform set by Gurbaz and Raghuvanshi, KKR had slowed down a bit. But Russell changed the pace instantly, launching into the RR bowlers with pure intent and sending the ball flying over the ropes. He formed a quickfire partnership with Rinku Singh, ensuring KKR finished strong with a total of 206/4 in their 20 overs. Russell’s fearless approach not only lifted the run rate but also set a challenging target on a tricky Eden Gardens surface. His innings proved to be the difference, especially as Rajasthan came so close with Riyan Parag’s 95, only to fall short in the last over.