Kolkata Knight Riders snapped a six-match losing run and earned their first victory of IPL 2026 as vice-captain Rinku Singh delivered a calm, unbeaten 53. Chasing a target at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday, KKR held their nerve in a tense finish against Rajasthan Royals, winning by four wickets with two balls to spare. The win lifted them to ninth place in a 10-team table, with Rinku and Anukul Roy combining to take KKR over the line after the chase had looked in trouble.
KKR’s spin plan sets the tone
Rajasthan Royals were restricted to 155/9, an under-par total that KKR built through sharp bowling and timely breakthroughs. Varun Chakravarthy led the charge with figures of 3/14, while Sunil Narine supported effectively with 2/26 as Eden Gardens once again proved a difficult venue for batting without discipline. At the death, rookie pacer Kartik Tyagi made his presence felt with a wicket-taking spell, finishing with 3/22 and ensuring RR could not accelerate into a defendable position.
- Rajasthan finished on 155/9, with KKR’s spin duo playing a major role in keeping the run rate under pressure.
- Varun Chakravarthy struck for 3/14, while Sunil Narine took 2/26.
- Kartik Tyagi’s 3/22 at the end helped RR fall short of a stronger total.
Defending 155: Archer and Burger give RR hope early
KKR’s chase began under favourable conditions after a strong start from Rajasthan while defending 155. The opening burst of pace from Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger was relentless, reducing KKR to 5/2 within the first 1.2 overs. Archer struck immediately with the first ball, disturbing Tim Seifert’s stumps with a sharp delivery. Ajinkya Rahane then departed soon after, edging behind for a duck in what was his second consecutive scoreless outing.
Cameron Green, who had impressed previously with a 79, counter-attacked to revive the chase. He struck three consecutive boundaries and also cleared the ropes for a six, lifting KKR to 31/2 in four overs. However, the momentum did not last as Ravi Bishnoi followed with a smart spell, and wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel’s involvement helped cut Green’s innings short. Green made 27 (13 balls) before being dismissed.
From there, Ravindra Jadeja tightened the screws further with his lines and turn, removing Angkrish Raghuvanshi for 10 and Rovman Powell for 23. KKR were then reduced to 70/5 in 10.1 overs, and the chase appeared to be slipping away once again.
Rinku and Roy rescue the chase after KKR wobble
KKR’s batting nearly followed the same script as earlier in the tournament. At 85/6 in 13.3 overs, the required rate demanded a serious push—69 runs were needed from the final six overs. With Rajasthan’s bowlers tightening and Rinku alongside Anukul Roy appearing to be the only recognised pair, the pressure intensified.
Then came a crucial piece of luck: Rinku was dropped on eight by Nandre Burger. The reprieve became the turning point. Rinku took full advantage of the moment, finding another gear, while Roy matched him with composure. Together, the two stitched a match-winning 76-run seventh-wicket stand off just 37 deliveries to secure KKR’s first win of the season.
How the chase unfolded
- KKR were 85/6 in 13.3 overs, needing 69 from the last six.
- Rinku was dropped on eight by Burger, a moment that swung the contest.
- Rinku and Roy added 76 runs for the seventh wicket off 37 balls to finish the job.
Key innings and finishing touches
- Rinku Singh: 53 not out off 34 balls (5 fours, 2 sixes).
- Anukul Roy: 29 not out off 16 balls (1 four, 2 sixes).
Rinku shifted the momentum with a slog-sweep six off Ravi Bishnoi in the 16th over. Roy responded with a six in an over that went for 19 runs. As the final overs approached, Rinku then took on Jofra Archer, striking two boundaries, while Roy showed composure by clearing the ropes off Archer in the penultimate over. With that, KKR required just 11 runs in the last over, and they managed the remaining overs with calm execution.
Rajasthan’s batting: Sooryavanshi’s fireworks, then a spin-led collapse
Earlier, Rajasthan raced to 63 without loss in the power play after choosing to bat. Their captain Ajinkya Rahane appeared overly cautious, delaying the introduction of spin and allowing Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to keep the scoring above 10 runs per over against KKR’s pace attack.
Once the anticipated contest between Sooryavanshi and KKR’s experienced spin duo arrived, the battle delivered excitement. Sooryavanshi struck Narine for a second-ball six, but Narine responded with five dot balls in his first over to regain control. Chakravarthy then removed Sooryavanshi with his fourth delivery, marking his milestone of 200 T20 wickets.
Sooryavanshi’s slog sweep lacked the required power and was taken by Ramandeep Singh at deep midwicket. That dismissal triggered a collapse. After cruising near 10 runs per over at the halfway stage, RR’s run rate dipped below eight as they slid to 118/4 in 15 overs.
- RR started aggressively, reaching 63/0 in the power play.
- Sooryavanshi hit a six off Narine’s second ball, but the spell tightened quickly.
- Chakravarthy dismissed Sooryavanshi to reach his 200th T20 wicket.
- RR then slipped from nearly 10 an over to below eight, ending at 118/4 in 15 overs.
Rajasthan lost Sooryavanshi (46 off 28), Dhruv Jurel (5), Jaiswal (39 off 29), and skipper Riyan Parag (12) in quick succession, with the collapse happening against the flow of the match. Parag’s form had been a concern, and the narrative continued as he struggled again.
KKR’s middle phase control belonged entirely to their spin duo, who bowled in tandem and choked the scoring to keep RR from building momentum. For Rajasthan, falling short by at least 30 runs was ultimately the story, undone by the combined brilliance of Chakravarthy, Narine, and Tyagi.
For KKR, the victory brings relief after losses from winning positions in recent matches, ending a 22-day wait to break the jinx. For Rajasthan, it was a second successive defeat, with their middle-order problems continuing—especially with Parag enduring a lean stretch even as the captain, Rahane, suffered yet another duck.
