Ahead of the anticipated contest between Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders, where the Knight Riders returned to their home ground at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. In six matches of the season in the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League, the Knight Riders did not get a single win.
Rajasthan Royals were off to a great start to the IPL 2026 season as they managed to remain undefeated in their opening four matches, with their opening batsmen performing brilliantly with the bat. However, they faced their first setback in the last game against Sunrisers Hyderabad when they failed to chase the target and struggled within the powerplay.
However, Kolkata Knight Riders came through at home, and their bowlers gave them a promising start to the match as they restricted the powerful batting lineup to a score of 155 in their 20 overs; However, the batting innings ended with plenty of drama, giving KKR their first win in IPL 2026. They have now moved up to 9th position with three points from 7 matches with one win and one draw.
Varun Chakraborty took 200 wickets in T20; RR came under control after a strong start
Kolkata Knight Riders bowled first against one of the strongest batting lineups in the competition, which included the in-form Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi. KKR has struggled with their bowling in the powerplay.
Vaibhav had a slow start in this game, Yashasvi had to struggle in the beginning; However, they added 81 runs for the first wicket and the Royals got off to a strong start. However, Varun Chakravarthy returned to dismiss Suryavanshi in his first over. After this KKR did not look back.
He took three important wickets, while Sunil Narine also took two wickets at the other end, and the scoring rate was tightened. With an economical spell from Kartik Tyagi, who also took three wickets, RR could only score 155 runs in their innings.
Rinku Singh scored his first IPL half-century after 3 years; Anukul Roy plays the character in Nervi Chase
Kolkata had the best chance to win their first game in the competition, as they were chasing just 156 on their home ground. However, Jofra Archer and Nandre Berger gave them early successes by dismissing the two openers.
Cameron Green made some use of the power play but was deceived by a move from Ravi Bishnoi and some brilliance from Dhruv Jurel. They struggled till the middle stage and were six wickets behind and needed around 71 runs to win the match.
Rinku Singh made important contributions with Anukul Roy as they added 76 runs for the seventh wicket, giving KKR their first win of the season. Rinku scored his first half-century in IPL since 2023. While chasing this target, Anukul’s hand will also be one of the best innings.
“This win will give us confidence.” – KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane is happy with the team’s good all-round performance
KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane was relieved after the win against Rajasthan Royals, not only because it was the first win for them in the season but also because the players had finally shown an amazing display of character on the field.
“In fact Glad to be here. It feels really good. There were a lot of emotions. I am really happy for Rinku, Anukul Roy and Varun. Really happy with the way both of them batted in that partnership. I like to have one-on-one conversations. It’s about reading situations well. This victory will give us confidence. Batting-wise, there is still room for improvement,” said captain Rahane.
Rahane then praised the efforts of young fast bowler Kartik Tyagi, “Brilliant, he is clear about his ability. When you have a guy like that, he is still young; he is amazing. It is great to see him gaining confidence. The pace at which he is bowling is amazing. There is a lot to learn from every game. That is where the awareness of cricket comes from.”
“Sometimes I think strike-rate is overrated. Take the game deep and we saw what happened today. It was a great save from us. We need to reflect and learn. As a team, we have to come together and communicate clearly.”
He concluded, “The atmosphere in the dressing room has been amazing. The fans have been fantastic, this win is theirs. Very positive, you get that positive atmosphere.”
Also Read: IPL Points Table 2026: Updated Standings, Orange Cap, Purple Cap after KKR vs RR Match 28
