Kolkata Knight Riders Narrow Win Keeps Them in Playoff Hunt

What a thriller! A one-run margin and fireworks from both sides made it a classic. Riyan Parag's six sixes—especially that 32-run over off Moeen Ali—nearly flipped the script for Rajasthan Royals. And Shubham Dubey’s nerveless hitting in the final over was almost heroic. But Rinku Singh’s composure and that pinpoint throw sealed it for KKR in dramatic fashion. Andre Russell’s explosive finish after the middle-overs lull was vintage, and it seems KKR’s blend of power-hitting and clutch fielding has kept them in the hunt for playoffs. Another action-packed powerplay phase! Jofra Archer’s disciplined hard-length bowling set the tone early, keeping Narine and Gurbaz quiet—exactly the kind of pressure you’d expect from a seasoned quick. But Yudhvir Singh Charak had a more mixed outing: pace and aggression were there, but his inconsistency gave KKR the release they needed. Narine punished him briefly before losing his stumps—classic high-risk, high-reward batting. Gurbaz showed smart adaptability, capitalizing on the looser balls and rotating strike well. Ajinkya Rahane’s calm yet assertive finish to the powerplay, especially that six and four off Madhwal, helped stabilize the innings just when it looked like RR might dominate early. That middle-phase squeeze by RR's spinners really shifted momentum. After a brisk start, Gurbaz’s early exit post-powerplay was a setback KKR couldn't afford, and though Rahane and Raghuvanshi looked promising, the Royals' spin trio applied a chokehold. Theekshana’s variations, Hasaranga’s guile, and Parag’s golden arm—especially that clever round-arm delivery to dismiss a cramping Rahane—meant boundaries dried up, and pressure mounted. KKR’s middle-order clearly felt the heat, struggling to maintain their early momentum, which underlined just how crucial that late burst from Russell turned out to be. Andre Russell's return to form couldn’t have come at a better time for KKR. Walking in under pressure and taking a few balls to settle, he then unleashed a classic “Dre Russ” assault—41 off just 12 in the death overs is game-changing. His power forced bowlers off their plans, leading to wides and errors, turning the momentum sharply in KKR’s favor. Rinku Singh’s finishing touch added the cherry on top—those two sixes and a boundary in the final over not only pushed KKR beyond 200 but also deflated RR just before the chase. It was a perfect example of how death-over execution can swing a match. Scores of both innings : Kolkata Knight Riders 206/4 in 20 overs (Andre Russell 57*, Angkrish Raghuvanshi 44; Riyan Parag 1-21) beat Rajasthan Royals 205/8 in 20 overs (Riyan Parag 95, Yashasvi Jaiswal 34; Varun Chakaravarthy 2-32) by 1 run