IPL 2025: De Kock’s Unbeaten 97 Leads KKR to Dominant Eight-Wicket Victory Over RR
Click to start listening
Synopsis
Quinton de Kock's explosive unbeaten 97 off 61 balls propelled Kolkata Knight Riders to a convincing eight-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025. This win marked KKR's first points of the tournament, while RR continued to seek their first win.
Key Takeaways
- Quinton de Kock scored 97 not out, leading KKR to victory.
- KKR achieved their first win in IPL 2025.
- Rajasthan Royals remain winless in the tournament.
- Moeen Ali and Varun Chakaravarthy excelled with the ball for KKR.
- Match was held at Barsapara Cricket Stadium.
Guwahati, March 26 (NationPress) Quinton de Kock showcased his explosive batting skills, scoring an unbeaten 97 runs off 61 balls, as the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders clinched their inaugural victory of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 with a dominant eight-wicket win against Rajasthan Royals at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
After Moeen Ali and Varun Chakaravarthy combined to take four wickets each, limiting RR to 151/9, de Kock started aggressively and remained until the end, striking eight fours and six sixes at a striking rate of 159.02, leading KKR to a comfortable chase with 15 balls to spare. This victory allowed KKR to register their first points, while RR remained winless in the ten-team format.
In pursuit of 152 runs, de Kock was quick off the mark, hitting Maheesh Theekshana for a four and a six, followed by similar shots against Jofra Archer. He effortlessly lofted Riyan Parag for another boundary and stylishly glanced Sandeep Sharma for a four, as KKR finished the power-play at 40/0.
However, shortly thereafter, Moeen Ali was run out for five. De Kock and Rahane maintained the scoring momentum, each hitting a four off Wanindu Hasaranga. Despite Hasaranga's comeback that saw Rahane dismissed for 18, de Kock reached his half-century in just 36 balls with a six over mid-wicket against Hasaranga.
De Kock's brilliance persisted as he pulled Riyan for a six, while Angkrish Raghuvanshi began with a four off Hasaranga. Even as the nerves set in, de Kock and Raghuvanshi skillfully hit boundaries to edge KKR closer to victory. De Kock then pulled Archer for both a four and a six, concluding the chase with a magnificent shot over long-on.
Brief Scores: Rajasthan Royals 151/9 in 20 overs (Dhruv Jurel 33, Yashasvi Jaiswal 29; Varun Chakaravarthy 2-17, Moeen Ali 2-23) lost to Kolkata Knight Riders 153/2 in 17.3 overs (Quinton de Kock 97 not out, Angkrish Raghuvanshi 22 not out; Wanindu Hasaranga 1-34) by eight wickets
