No Sunil Narine, no worries for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Stepping in for the unwell Narine, new signing Moeen Ali seamlessly combined with KKR’s familiar face, Varun Chakravarthy, on a dry and sluggish Guwahati pitch to restrict Rajasthan Royals (RR) to 151 for 9. The spin duo was so effective—returning figures of 8-0-40-4—that KKR didn’t even require Andre Russell’s services with the ball.
Another fresh addition, Quinton de Kock, shone at the top of the order, making Russell’s bowling unnecessary once again. His unbeaten 97 off 61 balls secured KKR’s first points of the season while handing RR their second consecutive loss.
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Riyan Parag’s Homecoming Spoiled
Sanju Samson departed for 13 off 11 balls, falling victim to Vaibhav Arora after stepping out too early and yorking himself. But it was Guwahati’s own Riyan Parag, leading Rajasthan Royals (RR), who briefly ignited the crowd by smashing a one-handed six off Harshit Rana on just his third delivery. His next maximum—a beautifully lofted checked-drive off Arora in the final over of the powerplay—was even more impressive.
Parag continued his aggressive approach, dispatching Varun Chakravarthy for a six over midwicket when the spinner dropped short. However, Varun quickly adjusted, luring Parag into a mistimed shot with a 113kph dart that veered away, resulting in a simple catch for Quinton de Kock behind the stumps.
With the ball, Parag delivered a tidy spell of 4-0-25-0 and even ran Moeen Ali out, but his return to Guwahati ultimately ended in disappointment.
Varun Chakravarthy, Moeen Ali Disrupt RR’s Game Plan
Moeen Ali might not have even played if Sunil Narine had been available. But after receiving his maiden KKR cap from mentor Dwayne Bravo, he made an immediate impact, striking in his second over by dismissing an advancing Yashasvi Jaiswal for 29 off 24 balls. Notably, this was only Jaiswal’s second dismissal to spin in the IPL since 2023 across 197 balls, during which he had scored 289 runs.
Rajasthan Royals (RR) attempted to deploy Wanindu Hasaranga in a role similar to R. Ashwin’s previous pinch-hitter or pinch-blocker experiments. However, the move backfired as Hasaranga faced just one delivery from Moeen before mistiming Varun Chakravarthy to mid-off for a run-a-ball 4.
The spin duo triggered a collapse, reducing RR from a comfortable 67 for 1 to a shaky 82 for 5, throwing the hosts’ plans into disarray. Shubham Dubey, who wasn’t initially in RR’s batting-first XI, had to be slotted in at No. 7, limiting their ability to introduce a frontline bowler like Kumar Kartikeya or Akash Madhwal during their defense.
Varun and Moeen were incredibly restrictive, conceding only one four and a six between them. In stark contrast, RR’s spinners, including part-timers Riyan Parag and Nitish Rana, leaked 11 boundaries.
That RR managed to surpass 150 was largely due to late contributions from Dhruv Jurel, who top-scored with 33 off 28 balls, and Jofra Archer.
Quinton De Kock Seals the Deal for KKR
Moeen Ali struggled to get going in KKR’s chase, managing just five off 11 balls while struggling against Jofra Archer’s pace and bounce. A mix-up with Quinton de Kock while attempting a quick double off Riyan Parag led to his run-out for five off 12 balls. On another day, this might have been a costly innings, but Moeen’s earlier heroics with the ball and de Kock’s dominance at the crease ensured KKR remained in control. Adding to their advantage, the evening dew further eased their chase.
De Kock was in blistering form from the start, scoring 34 of KKR’s 40 powerplay runs. He took on Archer early, smashing him for consecutive boundaries in the third over before targeting Maheesh Theekshana and Parag.
RR saw a glimmer of hope when Wanindu Hasaranga, picked in place of Fazalhaq Farooqi, dismissed Ajinkya Rahane for 18 off 15 balls. However, de Kock and young Angkrish Raghuvanshi shut the door with an unbroken 83-run stand off just 44 deliveries.
De Kock reached his half-century in style, launching Hasaranga for six over wide long-on, and followed it up with another maximum off Parag. Had RR set a bigger target, he might have even reached a century.
RR’s 151 for 9—the lowest total of the season—stood out in stark contrast to the big-hitting displays seen across the IPL.
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FAQs
How did Moeen Ali perform for KKR in place of Sunil Narine?
Moeen Ali impressed with the ball, dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal and restricting RR alongside Varun Chakravarthy. However, he struggled with the bat, scoring just 5 off 12 balls before being run out.
How did Quinton de Kock lead KKR to victory?
De Kock dominated the chase, scoring an unbeaten 97 off 61 balls, attacking early in the powerplay and later anchoring an 83-run stand with Angkrish Raghuvanshi.
What impact did KKR’s spinners have on the match?
Varun Chakravarthy and Moeen Ali triggered RR’s collapse from 67/1 to 82/5, conceding just one four and one six between them, while RR’s spinners leaked 11 boundaries.
Why was Riyan Parag’s homecoming disappointing?
Despite hitting two early sixes and a steady bowling spell (4-0-25-0), Parag fell for 18, miscuing Varun to de Kock, and RR failed to put up a competitive total.
Why was RR’s total of 151/9 considered below par?
RR’s 151/9 was the lowest total of the IPL season, standing out amid high-scoring games, and was easily chased down by KKR due to the evening dew and de Kock’s brilliance.
