Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) put on a great show to beat Rajasthan Royals (RR) in an IPL 2025 match in Guwahati. First, KKR’s spinners Moeen Ali and Varun Chakaravarthy stopped RR’s batting from finding its flow. Then, Quinton de Kock played an amazing knock of 97 not out to help KKR chase the score easily. The slow pitch in Guwahati made it tough for batsmen, but it helped the spinners a lot, and KKR took full advantage.
RR’s troubles began early when their captain, Sanju Samson, got out trying to hit fast bowler Vaibhav Arora. He got bowled by a quick yorker, and RR lost their way from there. However, the real damage came when KKR brought on their spinners. Between the 8th and 11th overs, four big wickets fell, Riyan Parag, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Nitish Rana. This quick collapse left RR’s innings in tatters.
Riyan Parag, standing in as skipper, tried to attack. He hit a big six off Harshit Rana and another off Varun Chakaravarthy. But then, Varun got him out in the 8th over when Parag mistimed a shot and got caught. Next, in the 9th over, Moeen Ali tricked Jaiswal. Jaiswal came down the pitch but hit the ball straight to long-on. Then, in the 10th over, Hasaranga, who came in to shake things up, lasted just four balls. He tried to hit Varun for a six but sent it to Ajinkya Rahane at mid-off instead. Finally, in the 11th over, Moeen got Rana out. Rana moved to the leg side, but the ball turned, and he missed it completely.
The slow pitch at Barsapara Cricket Stadium gripped the ball, making it hard for RR’s batsmen to hit freely. KKR’s spinners used this perfectly to take control.
Q for Quality, Q for Quinton
A sensational unbeaten 9⃣7⃣ runs to seal the deal
Scorecard
https://t.co/lGpYvw87IR#TATAIPL | #RRvKKR | @KKRiders pic.twitter.com/kbjY1vbjNL
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 26, 2025
KKR’s spin attack was the key. Moeen Ali stepped in for Sunil Narine, who bowled brilliantly. He got two left-handers, Jaiswal and Rana, by spinning the ball around the wicket. Meanwhile, Varun Chakaravarthy mixed up his deliveries to get Parag and Hasaranga. The pair worked together to stop RR from building any big partnerships. After Samson’s early exit, RR hoped Hasaranga could upset KKR’s plans, but the pitch didn’t help him. Instead, it played right into the hands of Moeen and Varun.
When KKR started their chase, the slow pitch was still a challenge. But Quinton de Kock made it look easy. He mixed big hits with clever shots to stay in control. RR’s fast bowler Jofra Archer started well, troubling Moeen Ali with his speed. However, de Kock wasn’t fazed. In Archer’s second over, de Kock hit a wide ball for four and then smashed a six over mid-wicket. Archer gave away 13 runs in that over and didn’t bowl again until later. His night ended with an expensive 13.20 runs per over.
Later, RR’s spinners like Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana tried to fight back. But de Kock stayed calm. He hit a six off Hasaranga to reach his fifty and another off Parag, who isn’t a full-time bowler. At one point, KKR were 70 for 2 after 11 overs, with Rahane out to Hasaranga. But de Kock kept going. He played safe shots for a while, picking up singles. Then, when Archer came back in the 18th over with 17 runs needed, de Kock finished the job. He hit a four to mid-on, a six to fine leg, and another six down the ground to seal the win.
Jofra Archer had a rough time again. After giving away 76 runs in four overs against Sunrisers Hyderabad earlier, he hoped to bounce back. He started strong against KKR, but de Kock changed the game. After that costly second over, Archer couldn’t find his rhythm. His struggles gave KKR an edge and showed how well de Kock handled fast bowling.
The slow Guwahati pitch was a big factor. While IPL 2025 has seen many high scores, this game was different. The pitch didn’t let batsmen swing freely, and KKR’s spinners made the most of it. Moeen and Varun took out RR’s key players quickly, while de Kock’s smart and powerful batting finished the chase. RR tried to fight back, but their batting couldn’t handle the spin attack, and their bowlers couldn’t stop de Kock.
The post IPL 2025: KKR Beat RR as Quinton De Kock Stars in Guwahati appeared first on Sportzcraazy.
from Cricket News & Updates | Today Cricket Rankings | Latest Match Schedule https://ift.tt/YKIhQ1z
via IFTTT
0 Comments