KKR vs RR Review: Buttler stuns Kolkata in a thrilling chase

Rajasthan Royals took on Kolkata Knight Riders in Match 31 of the Indian Premier League 2024 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on April 16. RR won the toss and opted to bowl first. Phil Salt (10 off 13) departed early, but Sunil Narine (109 off 56) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (30 off 18) kept the momentum going. Shreyas Iyer (11 off 7) and Andre Russell (13 off 10) did not fire up. Rinku Singh (20* off 9) gave a finishing touch and KKR posted a challenging 223/6 on the board.

For RR, Yashasvi Jaiswal (19 off 9) and Jos Buttler (107* off 60) provided a decent start. Sanju Samson (12 off 8) and Riyan Parag (34 off 14) could not bolster the chase and Dhruv Jurel (2 off 4) and Shimron Hetmyer (0 off 1) left RR hanging. Promoting Ravichandran Ashwin (8 off 11) up the order proved costly. Rovman Powell (26 off 13) played a good cameo down the order. Buttler played an innings of a lifetime and won the last-ball thriller for RR as they thumped KKR by two wickets.

Top Performer of the Match

Sunil Narine (109 off 56)

Sunil Narine played a bit subdued in the powerplay, but he picked up right after Angkrish joined him. He not only uplifted the run rate but maintained it throughout his innings. He smashed 13 boundaries and six maximums in his onslaught. He ended with a strike rate of 194.64 and put KKR on the pedestal.

Sunil Narine (4 for 30)

Sunil Narine shone with the ball too. He was at his miser best in the middle overs and restricted the run flow. His spell exerted pressure on RR batters as some departed accelerating against other bowlers. He picked Dhruv Jurel and pretty much tilted the game in KKR’s favor by picking dangerous Powell but it was not meant to be.

What’s next for both teams?

Rajasthan Royals will take on Mumbai Indians in Match 38 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on April 22. Kolkata Knight Riders will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Match 36 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on April 21