Kolkata Knight Riders finally opened their account in IPL 2026 with a thrilling 4-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals in Match 28 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Chasing a target of 156, KKR reached 161/6 in 19.4 overs, thanks to a composed unbeaten half-century from Rinku Singh after a tense run chase.
Rajasthan Royals, after winning the toss and electing to bat first, started strongly through their opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The duo added 81 runs for the first wicket, putting KKR under pressure early in the innings. Vaibhav impressed again with a brisk 46 off 28 balls, while Jaiswal played fluently for 30.
However, once the breakthrough came, KKR’s spin duo of Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine completely changed the game. Varun bowled brilliantly through the middle overs, picking up 3 wickets for just 14 runs, while Narine chipped in with 2 wickets and tightened the scoring rate. RR collapsed dramatically from 81/0 to 155/9, losing nine wickets for only 74 runs.
The late overs saw Kartik Tyagi produce a sensational spell, claiming three wickets in one over to prevent Rajasthan from crossing the 160-mark. What looked like a 180-plus total midway through the innings ended as a below-par score on a decent batting pitch.
In reply, KKR endured a nightmare start as Jofra Archer struck with the very first ball, dismissing Tim Seifert. The hosts continued to lose wickets at regular intervals and were reduced to 85/6, with Rajasthan appearing firmly in control.
But Rinku Singh, known for thriving under pressure, once again delivered when his team needed him most. Showing calmness and maturity, he anchored the chase beautifully while also finding boundaries at crucial moments. He remained unbeaten on 53 off 34 balls, guiding KKR home with two balls to spare.
He received strong support from Anukul Roy, who played a valuable cameo of 29 off 16 balls, turning the momentum back in KKR’s favor during the death overs. Their partnership frustrated Rajasthan and silenced the visitors’ bowlers in the closing stages.
This victory ended KKR’s losing streak and gave them much-needed momentum in the tournament, while Rajasthan Royals were left ruing a batting collapse after dominating the first half of the contest.
Player of the Match: Varun Chakravarthy for his match-winning figures of 3/14.
Key Highlights
- KKR beat RR by 4 wickets
- RR scored 155/9 after being 81/0
- KKR chased it down with 2 balls remaining
- Rinku Singh: 53 (34)*
- Anukul Roy: 29 (16)
- Varun Chakravarthy: 3/14
- Sunil Narine: 2 wickets
