IPL 2025: Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) made a strong comeback by beating Rajasthan Royals (RR) by eight wickets at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati, in Match 6 of IPL 2025. Both teams were looking for a win after losing their opening games, but KKR proved to be the better side after 37.3 overs of play.
KKR vs RR, IPL 2025: KKR’s Bowlers Shine in Restricting RR to 151/9
KKR chose to bowl first, and their disciplined bowling attack restricted RR to just 151/9. Even without Sunil Narine, the bowlers did an excellent job. Varun Chakravarthy (2/17), Moeen Ali (2/23), Harshit Rana (2/36), and Vaibhav Arora (2/33) all took wickets. Rajasthan’s batsmen couldn’t form partnerships, and with regular wickets falling, RR ended up with a low total on a good batting pitch.
Quinton de Kock’s Match-Winning Knock
Chasing 152, Quinton de Kock played a stunning knock of 97* off 61 balls, guiding KKR to an eight-wicket win with 15 balls to spare. His attack included eight fours and six sixes, finishing the match with a massive six off Jofra Archer.
KKR’s bowlers, including Moeen Ali, Varun Chakravarthy, Arora, and Rana, executed their plans well, restricting RR to a low total. Spencer Johnson’s early wickets also helped control the game, despite conceding 42 runs.
Without Sanju Samson, Riyan Parag struggled as captain. His bowling choices were uncertain, and his field placements were reactive, allowing KKR’s batters to dominate. With Samson still recovering, RR needs to regroup quickly to avoid further setbacks.
KKR will look to build on their winning momentum, while RR must address their batting issues and Parag’s inexperience as captain. After two consecutive losses, RR needs a strong recovery to stay in the race for IPL 2025.
IPL 2025: Here’s What The Captains Said After The Match
The winning captain, Ajinkya Rahane was full of praise for his bowlers, especially the spinners. Praising his bowlers, he said:
“Firstly, we bowled really well in the first six overs. The middle overs were crucial too, the way the spinners controlled things,” Rahane said.
“Moeen [Ali] got his opportunity, and he bowled really well. This is a format where we want players to play fearlessly, we want to give them freedom. He couldn’t get going with the bat, but very happy with what he did with the ball,” he added.
After the match, Riyan Parag said that RR aimed for a total of 170, which he thought would have been a good score on that pitch. He said:
“170 was going to be a really good score, that’s what we were aiming for. I personally rushed a little bit, knowing the wicket here. Fell short by 20 runs,”
ALSO READ: IPL 2025 SRH vs LSG Predictions: Fantasy 11, Pitch Report And More
