Kolkata Knight Riders finally broke their six-match losing streak with a thrilling four-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals in Match 28 of IPL 2026 at Eden Gardens on Sunday.
RR, after winning the toss and batting first, posted a competitive 155/9 in 20 overs. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (46 off 28) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (39 off 29) provided a strong start, but KKR's spinners, led by Varun Chakravarthy (3/14) and Sunil Narine (2/26), along with Kartik Tyagi's death bowling (3/22), restricted the visitors effectively.
KKR's chase got off to a nightmare start, slumping to 85/6 in 14 overs with early wickets of Tim Seifert and Ajinkya Rahane for ducks. The situation looked bleak until Rinku Singh stepped in.
In a remarkable redemption story, Rinku, who had
scored only 79 runs in five previous innings this season, delivered a match-winning unbeaten 53 off 34 balls (strike rate 155.88), including five boundaries and two sixes. His crucial 50-run partnership with Anukul Roy (29* off 16) turned the tide. KKR chased down the target of 156 in 19.4 overs.
Rinku's explosive yet composed knock silenced critics and provided the much-needed boost for a struggling KKR side, potentially marking a turning point in their campaign.
KKR vs RR Award Winners
Super Striker of the Match: Cameron Green (KKR)
Most Fours of the Match: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (RR) - 6 fours
Most Sixes of the Match: Rinku Singh (KKR) - 2 Sixes
Most Dot Balls of the Match: Varun Chakravarthy (KKR) - 13 Dot Balls
Player of the Match: Varun Chakravarthy (KKR) - 3/14 in 4 overs
KKR vs RR Scorecard
Rajasthan Royals (RR): 155/9 in 20.0 overs; Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 46 (28), Yashasvi Jaiswal 39 (29); Varun Chakaravarthy 3/14, Kartik Tyagi 3/22.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR): 161/6 in 19.4 overs; Rinku Singh 53* (34), Anukul Roy 29* (16); Ravindra Jadeja 2/8, Yash Punja 1/25.
Result: Kolkata Knight Riders won by 4 wickets.
