Quinton de Kock played a match-winning knock of 97* as Kolkata Knight Riders clinched an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals in their Indian Premier League (IPL) clash on Wednesday at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati.
Opting to bowl first, KKR’s spin-heavy bowling unit executed their plans with precision on a sluggish surface. Varun Chakravarthy returned figures of 2/17 while Moeen Ali chipped in with 2/23, as Rajasthan Royals were restricted to a modest 151/9 in their 20 overs.
Harshit Rana also contributed with two wickets, helping stifle RR’s batting line-up despite a promising start by Yashasvi Jaiswal (29 off 24) and Riyan Parag (25 off 15).
In reply, De Kock anchored the chase with authority, remaining unbeaten on 97 from 61 balls, smashing eight boundaries and clearing the ropes six times. The South African wicketkeeper-batter guided KKR to their target in just 17.3 overs, ensuring a comfortable finish.
The top-scorer for the Royals was Dhruv Jurel, who played a measured knock of 33 off 28 balls, but lacked support from the middle and lower order. Despite early momentum, Rajasthan were unable to capitalise, with KKR’s attack maintaining control throughout the innings.
