Kolkata Knight Riders' Rinku Singh reacts after hitting the winning runs during the Indian Premier League cricket match against Rajasthan Royals in Kolkata, India, Sunday, April 19, 2026. (AP Photo)IPL 2026 KKR vs RR, Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals Match:
Dropped when he was batting on eight runs, Rinku Singh scored an unbeaten 53 (off 34 balls) to drag Kolkata Knight Riders to a four-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals at the Eden Gardens. This is Kolkata’s first win of IPL 2026, a result that takes them out of the basement of IPL standings and prevents Rajasthan Royals from ending the day as the table toppers.
Chasing a target of 156 against the Rajasthan Royals, KKR had slumped to 70/5 at one stage.
Earlier, Varun Chakaravarthy (4/14) and Sunil Narine (2/26) had halted the Rajasthan Royals’ charge after the initial onslaught by the Royals opening pair of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Royals lost steam in the game after being 81/0 at one stage. Rajasthan Royals lost three wickets for 99 runs, then went to 124/5. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored 46 off 28 balls while opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal got out for 39. The opening pair of Sooryavanshi and Jaiswal had scored 63/0 in the powerplay after RR captain Riyan Parag won the toss and opted to bat first against the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens.
KKR vs RR IPL 2026 Live Cricket Score, Full Scorecard – WATCH HERE
It’s an IPL 2026 clash where both teams aiming for two completely different outcomes: while third-placed Royals could be on top of the IPL standings with a win today, the three-time champions Kolkata are hoping to rise out of the basement of the IPL standings with a victory today.
Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals XIs:
Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI): Ajinkya Rahane(c), Tim Seifert(w), Cameron Green, Rovman Powell, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi, Varun Chakaravarthy
Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI): Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel(w), Riyan Parag(c), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Brijesh Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi
Scroll down for the live updates from the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals game
Varun Chakaravarthy, who is the Player of the Match, speaks: Feels great. I need to give credit to the entire coaching staff. The head coach and the other coaches didn't let the outside noise affect us. Initially I was injured, I had to manage that. (On the conditions today) It was little slow, suited us. We are making a statement that we are not pushovers. We still have hopes.
Ajinkya Rahane: Really happy to be here. Feels really good. There were a lot of emotions. I am really happy for Rinku, Anukul Roy and Varun. Really happy with how both of them batted in that partnership. I like to have one-on-one conversations. It's about reading the situations well. This victory will the confidence. Batting-wise, there's still room for improvement. (On Tyagi) Fantastic, he's been clear about his ability. When you have a guy like that, he's still young, he's been amazing. VEry happy to see him getting that confidence. The pace at which he's bowling is amazing. There's lot to learn from every game. That's where the cricketing awareness comes. Sometimes I feel strike-rate is over-rated. Take the game deep and we saw what happened today. This was a great escape for us. We need to reflect and learn. As a team, we have to come together and have that clear communication. The atmosphere in the dressing room has been amazing. The fans have been fantastic, this victory belongs to them. Very positive, you get that positive vibe.
Rinku Singh: "When runs don't come, you start thinking. It was not that I was hesitating in hitting my shots. The mindset was to take it till the end. You play those shots [when he was dropped off a no-look slog] when your mind isn't working. God helped me. It was a very good innings for my confidence. The win will give us a lot of confidence. We'll look to carry this momentum forward."
Riyan Parag, speaking to JioHotstar, says: "We assessed it was a 170 wicket. So we were dead under par. It was our game. No excuses there. We can't be dropping catches. We can't be bowling lines that favour the batsmen. There was a lot of spin on the wicket. The way Jaddu, Bishi and Punja bowled, I thought the way forward was spin [and hence he bowled an over]. Brijesh was almost there to bowl the 14th and the 16th [overs] as well. But they lost wickets and there were left-handers. So I bowled... Once Bishnoi's over was done, I felt spinners might go [for runs] here given the left-handers. I feel the game plan was there. It was a 170 wicket... we tried giving ourselves time, but it didn't come off. I felt Punja bowled really well. There were a few nerves in his first over."
Riyan Parag hands the ball to Brijesh Sharma, who gave away just seven runs in the 18th over, which was his first. But in his second over, the spell wears off!
Two fours off the first two balls from Rinku Singh! And a six off the fourth ball to get to his 50! Rinku Singh, dropped on 8, drags KKR to their first ever win of IPL 2026
Kolkata Knight Riders win by 4 wickets to rise to 9th spot
Jofra Archer has only one bad ball in the penultimate over of a tense chase, which is tonked for a six. All the other balls, are ones or twos.
Kolkata Knight Riders need nine runs off the final over. Who is Riyan Parag handing the ball to?
So Riyan Parag decides to hand the ball to Brijesh Sharma for the first time today! And he's having a great over, giving just seven runs!
The first three balls to Rinku Singh escape the batter's blade and Kumar Dharamasena does not given them wide. Rinku Singh wants to appeal one of them, but KKR have no reviews left!
Finally, after a single, Anukul Roy comes on strike. And a ball that almost beats him, takes an edge and goes to the boundary after sneaking past the keeper.
KKR need 21 runs from 12 balls
Jofra Archer bowling the 17th over. Rinku Singh at crease. First two balls go for nine runs: Four. Wide. Four.
then Rinku rotates strike with a single. Smart cricket from him. Jofra bowls a superb yorker on the next ball, and KKR batters take another single.
12 runs from the 17th over. KKR now need 28 runs from 18 balls
Kolkata batters come out swinging after the time out, with Rinku Singh hitting Ravi Bishnoi's first ball for a maximum over square leg. The over ends with Anukul Roy hitting a six over extra cover. 19 runs coming off that over, just what Kolkata Knight Riders needed.
40 runs needed off 24 balls for KKR!
Riyan Parag hands himself an over just before the timeout! 10 runs in that over. Kolkata Knight Riders are 97/6 after 15
Archer, Burger, Jadeja and Bishnoi all have overs remaining. And Rinku Singh, already being given a reprieve in the field when batting on 8, is joined by Anukul as they look to chase 59 runs in 30 balls at 11.8 runs per over
A WICKET ON DEBUT FOR 19-YEAR-OLD YASH RAJ PUNJA.
A googly from the youngster gets chopped on to his stumps by Ramandeep. Yash Raj was brought on as an Impact Sub for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He had a nervy first over, giving away 12 runs. But then, has come into his own, giving away just 25 runs in his four overs.
Ramandeep Singh b Yash Raj Punja 10 (13b 1x4 0x6) SR: 76.92
After 14 overs, KKR are 87/6
Rovman Powell departs for 23 on the first ball of Ravindra Jadeja's first over after handing a simple catch on the boundary ropes.
Rovman Powell c Ferreira b Jadeja 23 (20b 2x4 1x6) SR: 115
Their chase is now in deep trouble!
But it could have been a lot worse after Nandre Burger drops a catch from Rinku Singh when he's on 8 runs on the final ball!
Rinku tries to slap the ball over the midwicket boundary and ended up edging the ball.
Jadeja furious, as he thinks keeper Dhruv Jurel should have chased after the catch. Looks like Burger too thought Jurel will call for it.
After 11 overs, KKR are 73/5
The wind going out of this chase a little for Kolkata after the powerplay ended their fourth wicket fell. They're on 63/4 after nine overs. Powell and Rinku Singh in the middle shepherding this chase.
Seven runs in the 10th over, four runs in the 9th over, seven runs in the 8th, one run and a wicket in the seventh!
After 10 overs, KKR are 70/4
Kolkata Knight Riders' chase of 156 is in tatters! They lose another wicket as Raghuvanshi tries to sweep, but gets LBW instead. He also burns a review on his way out by appealing, even though he knew there was no nick!
Angkrish Raghuvanshi lbw b Jadeja 10 (19b 1x4 0x6) SR: 52.63
Kolkata Knight Riders are 52/4 after seven overs
So Rajasthan Royals have decided to send Vaibhav Sooryavanshi out while replacing him with another teenager, who's the Impact Sub: it's a T20 debut for Yash Raj Punja, who is a 19-year-old legspinner from Karnataka.
Hands a couple of easy deliveries which are sent to the ropes. 12 runs in the first over from the youngster.
Kolkata Knight Riders are 51/3 at the end of the Powerplay
What a wicket! The wicket will go in the name of Ravi Bishnoi, but it was Dhruv Jurel behind the stumps who did all the hardwork. The ball was fired down the leg stump for this exact outcome by Bishnoi, but Dhruv Jurel had to dive to his left. He collects the ball with both hands and while still falling, reverse flicks the ball at the stumps with his right hand to effect the stumping.
Cameron Green st †Jurel b Ravi Bishnoi 27 (13b 4x4 1x6) SR: 207.69
Kolkata are 37/3 now in the fifth over!
After losing two wickets in the first two overs, the much-criticised Cam Green, who made a half century in the previous game, is leading the Kolkata fightback in this chase of 156. he's scored 23 off 11 balls so far, and his is the one name that Kolkata will be hoping can deliver big time today!
After 4 overs, Kolkata are 31/2
Another over, another wicket! Ajinkya Rahane's woes continue as he edges the ball from Burger to the keeper while trying to slap the ball away to the ropes.
Ajinkya Rahane c †Jurel b Burger 0 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0
Chasing 156, KKR slump to 5/2
JOFRA ARCHER STARTS US OFF WITH A FIRST BALL WICKET! BOWLS TIM SERIFERT!
What a delivery from the England pacer, swings in and collides into the stumps!
Angkrish Raghuvanshi is out in the middle as an Impact Sub. and the KKR side need an impact from him after losing a wicket on the first ball!
Jofra Archer gets run out on the final ball of the innings, as Royals score 9 runs in that over.
Jofra Archer run out (Arora/†Seifert) 8 (5b 1x4 0x6) SR: 160
Rajasthan Royals set 156-run target for Kolkata
Another wicket! Three wickets in an over for Kartik Tyagi! And he still has one final ball left. This time, it's an edge to the keeper!
Ravi Bishnoi c †Seifert b Kartik Tyagi 0 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0
After the slowdown in the middle overs, Rajasthan Royals are in a slump now.
Rajasthan Royals are 146/8
Hetmyer's luck runs out, and he hands one more opportunity and it caught in the deep. Got a start today after being brought into the XI. But top edges the ball
Shimron Hetmyer c Raghuvanshi b Kartik Tyagi 15 (18b 0x4 0x6) SR: 83.33
Just a couple of balls after Hetmyer gets a second life, no such luck for Jadeja, who is caught by Cam Green near the fine leg boundary. Kartik Tyagi gets his first wicket of the evening.
Ravindra Jadeja c Green b Kartik Tyagi 9 (7b 1x4 0x6) SR: 128.57
Ohhhh, Hetmyer gets another life after Vaibhav Arora cannot hang on to the catch. Just before that ball from Ramandeep, Ajinkya Rahane had dropped mid-on fielder back and brought the square leg fielder up. And the catch of Hetmyer is dropped by Vaibhav Arora.
After 18 overs, Royals are 144/5
Another wicket, as Sunil Narine also ends his quota of four overs with a wicket! A carrom ball gets Donovan Ferreira to send his shot straight to the bowler!
Donovan Ferreira c & b Narine 7 (7b 0x4 1x6) SR: 100
After 16 overs, Rajasthan Royals are 124/5
KKR spinners Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine have given away 40 runs in their 8 overs while picking up 5 wickets.
Another wicket for Varun Chakaravarthy as he get the better of Riyan Parag! Parag has just hit Chakaravarthy for a four a couple of balls ago, then Chakaravarthy responds by sending a lethal ball that collides with his off stump!
Riyan Parag's struggles --- and those of Royals --- continue.
Riyan Parag b Varun 12 (14b 1x4 0x6) SR: 85.71
Rajasthan Royals are 118/4 at the end of that over as Varun Chakaravarthy ends his day with spell of 4-0-14-3
Another over for Rajasthan Royals without a boundary. They came two inches close to ending their 26-ball boundary-less streak after the final ball is hit by Hetmyer to long on, where Powell fumbles but does enough for the ball to stop two inches away from the ropes.
After 14 overs, Royals are 113/3
The two spinners of KKR, Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine, have slammed the breaks on the freight train that was the Rajasthan Royals but picking up three wickets. But Chakaravarthy who picked the first two wickets is bowling so well that his three overs have gone for just nine runs!
Three runs in the 11th over, six runs in the 12th, and five runs in the 13th.
After 13 overs, Rajasthan Royals are 109/3
Rajasthan Royals lose their third wicket as Yashasvi Jaiswal sends a ball from Narine into the palms of Rahane at extra cover!
Rajasthan Royals have gone from 81/0 to 99/3.
Yashasvi Jaiswal c Rahane b Narine 39 (29b 4x4 2x6) SR: 134.48
Another Varun Chakaravarthy over, another wicket! This time it's Dhruv Jurel who is stumped by Tim Seifert after some nifty glovework!
IS the game turning?
Dhruv Jurel st †Seifert b Varun 5 (7b 0x4 0x6) SR: 71.42
So Varun Chakaravarthy is handed the ball for the first time and he gets rid of the Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for 46!
Seemed like Ramandeep Singh almost overran the ball, but adjusted and caught it. It was swirling away from the fielder.
A powerful start to his spell from Varun.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi c Ramandeep Singh b Varun 46 (28b 6x4 2x6) SR: 164.28
200th T20 wicket for Chakaravarthy and what better one to take than the 15-year-old's who was smashing his way to a half century.
After Tyagi replaces Cam Green, Sooryavanshi offers a chance for Kolkata after freeing his arms and sending the ball in the air. Rinku Singh, running in from deep point, dives to try and catch it, but cannot and the ball goes to the ropes.
Just eight runs there in that over.
Royals are 79/0 in eight overs
Ajinkya Rahane hand Cam Green a second over in the powerplay, and on the first ball itself, the ball is sent into the orbit over the cover fielder. One single later, it's Sooryavanshi's chance to face Green. Green bowls in the slot, and Sooryavanshi sends the ball over the mid on fielder for a six that lands on the boundary cushion!
Green responds to both sixes with wides. Not gone his way at all this over.
Sooryavanshi is not done yet! On the fifth ball, he shapes up for a scoop, but adjusts mid-ball and spoons the ball over the gully fielder for a four!
After 6 overs, Rajasthan Royals are 63/0
Sooryavanshi is on 38 off 21 balls while Jaiswal is 21 off 15 balls
Sunil Narine brought in for the fifth over! And he does the trick, largely. First ball, beats the 15-year-old with the turn. Sooryavanshi responds with a six on the next ball. Narine responds by beating him again on the next ball.
Twice in that over, Sooryavanshi slaps the ball on the off side, he finds the fielder.
After 5 overs, Rajasthan Royals are 41/0
Here we go! The battle of the two Vaibhavs! After facing off just for one ball in the first over of the innings, Sooryavanshi is on strike from the first ball against his namesake! Arora offering Sooryavanshi width, and Sooryavanshi scores 15 runs in that six balls, including three boundaries on the off side.
The first ball is dispatched in front of square, another one is worked behind! And then finally, when Arora tries a bouncer, Sooryavanshi responds with a ramp shot on the fifth ball.
After four overs, Rajasthan Royals are 35/0
On this is new! Cam Green has been handed the ball at last by KKR. There has been plenty of criticism about his spot in the XI after below-par performances with the bat and not bowling. But after a half century in the previous game, he takes the ball in the third over here. And manages to concede just five runs.
After 3 overs, RR are 20/0
First ball from Karthik Tyagi is on Sooryavanshi's pads and he effortlessly flicks it to the ropes. Smoooth! First four of the day for the 15-year-old. On the third ball, Tyagi bowls a delivery on a good length, and Sooryavanshi finds the gap between the keeper and the wide slip fielder who had just moved that wide. Wry smile from Tyagi.
Some good balls in that over from Tyagi, that end up posing questions to Sooryavanshi. He punctuates those deliveries with hits to the fence.
After two overs, Rajasthan Royals are 15/0
Keeping this rampaging batting pair of Jaiswal and Sooryavanshi to six runs in a powerplay over, even if there was a superlative shot to the offside boundary from Jaiswal, should be considered a win. Sooryavanshi faced just the single ball in that over and rotated the strike.
After one over, Rajasthan Royals are 6/0
An interesting battle today at the Eden Gardens! Vaibhav Sooryavanshi with the bat against Vaibhav Arora with the ball.
Arora has not dismissed a left-hander so far this season while Sooryavanshi comes to the game after a first-ball duck in the previous game.
here we go!
Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI): Ajinkya Rahane(c), Tim Seifert(w), Cameron Green, Rovman Powell, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi, Varun Chakaravarthy
Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI): Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel(w), Riyan Parag(c), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Brijesh Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi
Same team for KKR, says Ajinka Rahane.
Ajinkya Rahane adds: "We were looking to bat as well. As I said in the last game as well, batsmen should bat with freedom. The kind of situation we are in at the moment right now, we want all the batters to bat freely, have that fearless approach. The bowling unit has been doing well. They started to do really well. The last three games, especially the middle overs and end overs they bowled really well. That was the reason we thought batting first. But happy to lose the toss. We believe the past is dead, future, we don't know what is rolling up. And now what we have at the moment is this moment. So giving our best, playing with freedom, and the focusing on controllables. Sometimes when you lose games, you try to think too many things. I feel the boys, the preparation has been fantastic. They're in good mindspace. Results can go either way. So it's all about being in this moment and playing with freedom."
Riyan Parag speaks at the toss: We're going to be batting first. Looks like a pretty dry wicket. The grass was cut yesterday, hoping for some turn in the first inning, but then a little bit more around the second innings, so that's right. Last year we fell short, but the amount of turn Varun and Narine extracted last year as well, we feel if we get a little bit of the same, we've got really quality spinners, so trying to set up the tone, start up early up, and then hopefully defend that. Win or lose, our strategies remain the same. Our discussions remain the same. We always try and look at the mistakes we've made and try and look at what we've done better and what we can do better. So I feel last match was a learning. This match, hopefully, we don't repeat the same things and come out on top.
Hetmyer comes back in, Lhuan steps out. Tushar gets a rest and Brijesh Sharma comes in.
Rajasthan Royals have won the toss and have understandably opted to bat first. Ajinkya Rahane reveals that they would have done the same as well,
Kolkata's on-field decisions under Rahane and head coach Abhishek Nayar have also come under scrutiny.
Selection calls and match management have raised eyebrows.
The 'entry points' of Chakravarthy has been particularly puzzling.
Low on confidence from the T20 World Cup, the premier India spinner was used in the power play early in the season, conceding heavily, including a 25-run over to Abhishek Sharma, denting his confidence early on.
It took him four matches to open his wickets tally with scalps of Jos Buttler and Washington Sundar in Ahmedabad.
There have also been questionable selection calls, with New Zealand's top T20 World Cup scorer Tim Seifert featuring only in the last match, while star allrounder Rachin Ravindra still warming the bench.
Several promising domestic talents too are yet to get a look-in.
Despite a decorated support staff featuring Shane Watson, Tim Southee and Dwayne Bravo, Kolkata Knight Riders have looked short of ideas on the field.
(Via Press Trust of India)
Winless after six matches, time is running out for Kolkata Knight Riders playoff hopes but their embattled skipper Ajinkya Rahane has urged the side to "embrace tough phases, play with freedom, and focus on one game at a time".
Loss has been one constant for the three-time former champions this season as they endured a five-wicket loss against Gujarat Titans to slump to their fifth defeat from six matches with their solitary point coming courtesy a rain washout against Punjab Kings at Eden Gardens.
"It's about accepting and embracing these tough days. Every day is a new day... trying to do better, playing with freedom, and backing each other," Rahane was at his philosophical best at the post-match media interaction here on Friday.
A minimum of seven wins is needed from a 10-team league to keep a team's playoff aspirations alive.
With eight matches to go and one point in their kitty, the task will be an improbable one for KKR from here on.
(Via Press Trust of India)
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's IPL journey is already shaping up as a mix of dazzling highs and some tough lessons, but Rajasthan Royals head coach Kumar Sangakkara feels he must "enjoy" his cricket and that "less said, the better" for him.
Having lit up the IPL with his explosive batting against the likes of Jasprit Bumrah (Mumbai Indians) and Josh Hazlewood (RCB), the young sensation was dismissed for a golden duck by an unheralded Praful Hinge in their last match against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
"My message to Vaibhav is simple: enjoy everything. Whether it's 100 off 35 balls, 50 off 15, or a first-ball duck -- you're allowed to score runs, and you're allowed to fail. It's part and parcel of cricket," the RR director of cricket said on the high expectations surrounding the young gun.
"Vaibhav is such an exciting young player. People talk about talent, but they should also understand the amount of work he puts in at the nets. He reads the game really well, anticipates situations, and plans against bowlers effectively." Sooryavanshi, who turned 15 last month, returned for his second IPL season with high expectations after scoring an explosive 80-ball 175 in India's Under-19 World Cup triumph in February.
He lit up the IPL with a 17-ball 52 against five-time champions Chennai Super Kings in their opening match, and since then has not looked back, with an eye-popping strike rate of over 263 after five innings.
He started with a first-ball six against Bumrah in their clash with Mumbai Indians, and then took Hazlewood apart against RCB, hitting three fours and a six in succession.
On his failure against SRH, Sangakkara said he will figure things out as he goes along.
"The nature of opening in T20 cricket today is all-out attack. He'll figure things out as he goes along. For a player like that, sometimes the less said, the better.
"I just want him to remain that 15-year-old kid who goes out and bats with a sense of wonder. That's how he'll truly
progress. Low scores will happen to him and to everyone else, but I'm very happy to have Vaibhav with us."
(Via Press Trust of India)
Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana has finally arrived in the city to join Kolkata Knight Riders, giving a much-needed boost to the side that is currently languishing at the bottom of the IPL table.
The franchise confirmed the development on Sunday.
Having recovered from a calf strain sustained in the T20 World Cup, Pathirana cleared the mandatory fitness test by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) before receiving a no-objection certificate.
He has linked up with the squad ahead of their match against Rajasthan Royals on Sunday.
However, he is unlikely to be named in the playing XI straightaway, as the team's medical team will first assess his match fitness over a couple of training sessions.
The slinger pacer, who was bought by KKR for Rs 18 crore at the last IPL auction, was always expected to miss the initial matches after suffering a calf strain during the T20 World Cup earlier this year.
(With inputs from PTI)
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will be the man, nay boy, in focus in the IPL 2026 clash between rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders. In five games so far, Sooryavanshi has scored 200 runs -- the most for the Royals -- at a strike rate of 263.15.
Partnering with Jaiswal at the top of the standings, he's usually the one jump-starting the Royals in the powerplay.
KKR vs RR Predicted XIIs:
Kolkata Knight Riders Predicted XII: Tim Seifert, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi(w), Rovman Powell, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Sunil Narine, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi
Rajasthan Royals Predicted XII: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel(w), Riyan Parag(c), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Tushar Deshpande
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal, the opening pair of Rajasthan Royals known to blow teams out of the water in the powerplay overs, are likely to have a great game today. Why? Because, as Cricbuzz, points out in a stat, "KKR have the worst Powerplay bowling average and economy rate this season."
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the IPL 2026 game between Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders, where one team is chasing a win to avoid being stuck in the bottom of the standings while another team is battling to rise to the top of the table .
Before the national selectors and India’s team management firmed up the 15 that won the T20 World Cup earlier this year, a considerable amount of time had gone around the inclusion of Rinku Singh. The southpaw wasn’t among the first choice players with Shubman Gill ahead of him. But the latter struggles and India’s intent to go full throttle from the word go had prompted a question: If they lose wickets early in the powerplay, who is the best bet among the lot. The answer to that was Rinku.
It is how Rinku made the 15-member cut for the T20 World Cup. Of course, India didn’t endure any such nightmare in the tournament and it allowed the left-hander to play the finisher’s role. And as Kolkata Knight Riders are struggling to get off the mark, with their batting unit showing no signs of being a settled unit, there is a key question that is emerging: Why is KKR reluctant to promote Rinku higher up the order, when none of their middle-order batsmen has showed signs of owning up the spot.
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