“KKR Soar to Second Place with Nail-Biting Win Over RCB
The Eden Gardens in Kolkata erupted as the Knight Riders secured a heart-stopping one-run victory over their Royal Challengers Bangalore arch-rivals in a classic IPL encounter. This win catapults KKR to the second spot in the standings while RCB remains rooted at the bottom.
Chasing a mammoth 223 set by KKR, Bangalore displayed fight and grit, falling just a run short after their 20 overs. Openers Will Jacks (55 off 32) and Rajat Patidar (52 off 23) provided a blistering start, but Andre Russell’s three-wicket haul proved decisive for Kolkata. The all-rounder received support from Harshit Rana (2 wickets) and Sunil Narine (2 wickets), while Mitchell Starc and Varun Chakaravarthy chipped in with a wicket each.
Earlier, opting to bat first, KKR piled on the runs with a score of 222/6. Skipper Shreyas Iyer (50 off 36) led by example, ably supported by Phil Salt, Andre Russell, and Ramandeep Singh. Despite valiant bowling efforts from Mohammed Siraj, Lockie Ferguson, Cameron Green, and Yash Dayal, Bangalore’s bowlers couldn’t contain the KKR onslaught.
This thrilling victory solidifies Kolkata’s position as a serious contender, while Bangalore needs a swift turnaround to stay in playoff contention.