In the 56th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, Rajasthan Royals (RR) beat Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by nine wickets at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. With this massive win, the Jaipur-based team secured the third spot in the points table, with a boosted net run-rate.
RR captain Sanju Samson opted to bowl first. The hosts did not have a very formidable day with the bat, but a half-century inning from Venkatesh Iyer helped KKR to score 149/8 in their 20 overs quota.
While chasing the target of 150 runs, the Royals had a rollicking start, as the southpaw batter Yashasvi Jaiswal (98) * scored 26 runs in the very first over of second innings, delivered by KKR skipper Nitish Rana. The very first over gave an upper hand to the 2008 winners to grip the match in the initial phase of the innings. Although his opening partner, Jos Buttler (0) got run out in the second over. But Jaiswal still continued his blazing batting and scored the fastest half-century of the tournament in 13 balls. After the first wicket, skipper Samson (48) * came to the middle and assisted the in-form 21-year-old batter. Both of them built 121 runs partnership for the second wicket, and this helped them cruised to a massive win by chasing the total in 13.1 overs.
The two-time winners of the tournament had a catastrophic day with the ball, as none of the bowlers of the home side were not able to get the wicket of their opponents. Only one wicket which came was in the form of run out.
In the first innings, KKR did not have a great start, as both the openers Jason Roy (10) and Rahamanullah Gurbaz (18) got out by Trent Boult. Although Venkatesh (57) and Nitish (22) started to stabilise the innings, and stitched 48 runs partnership for the third wicket, but that partnership got broken in the eleventh over, as Yuzvendra Chahal dismissed the captain Rana. Chahal continued to strike wickets, which had dented the progress of the Kolkata’s innings, which ended up scoring a low-par total in their 20 overs.
With the ball for RR, Chahal ended up delivering an impressive spell by scalping four wickets. He also became the all-time leading wicket taker of this marquee league. Boult got two wickets, whereas KM Asif and Sandeep Sharma claimed one wicket each.
Yashasvi Jaiswal was adjudged Player of the Match for his spectacular innings of 98 runs which had 13 fours and five sixes.
Scorecard:
Kolkata Knight Riders: 149/8, Overs 20, Venkatesh Iyer 57, Yuzvendra Chahal 4/25
Rajasthan Royals: 151/1, Overs 13.1, Yashasvi Jaiswal 98*