Masterful Quinton de Kock spearheads Kolkata Knight Riders to victory

The KKR bowlers, particularly the spin duo of Moeen Ali (2-23) and Varun Chakravarthy (2-17), were exceptional, limiting Rajasthan Royals to a subpar total of 151/9. De Kock, however, made quick work of the modest target, dazzling the crowd with eight boundaries and six sixes. His elegant strokeplay, including some powerful drives, a graceful legside flick, and a brutal pull off Jofra Archer's 145 km/h delivery for six, left the Royals' bowlers helpless.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi played a steady supporting role with an unbeaten 22 not out, ensuring KKR finished at 153/2 with 15 balls to spare.

KKR's decision to bowl first reaped early rewards, as the Royals stumbled to 82/5 after 11 overs. Moeen and Chakravarthy shared four of those five wickets, with seamer Vaibhav Arora adding another by dismissing Sanju Samson for 13.

The two spinners exploited the pitch's subtle turn, with Moeen removing key threats like Yashasvi Jaiswal (29) and Nitish Rana (8). Chakravarthy also accounted for Rajasthan's captain Riyan Parag (25), whose pull shot was caught behind by de Kock.

From there, it was a case of survival for the Royals. Dhruv Jurel held the innings together with a composed 33 from 28 balls, while Archer tried to add some excitement with a pair of sixes in his quickfire 16 from seven balls. But their efforts were in vain as KKR sealed the match with ease.

READ MORE: Kagiso Rabada: There needs to be a balance between bat and ball