In a dominant performance, Kolkata Knight Riders secured their first win of the IPL 2025 season by defeating Rajasthan Royals by 8 wickets. After restricting Rajasthan to 151/9, the Knight Riders chased down the target with ease, with opener Quinton de Kock remaining unbeaten on a brilliant 97. However, de Kock was denied a century as Jofra Archer bowled two successive wide deliveries when he was on 91, leading to social media backlash accusing Archer of deliberately preventing de Kock from reaching the milestone.
Rajasthan Royals struggled on a slow Guwahati pitch, with Moeen Ali and Varun Chakravarthy causing trouble for their batting lineup. Despite a lack of fluency, de Kock’s aggressive approach ensured KKR stayed ahead in the chase. He reached his fifty in style and finished the game emphatically in the 18th over, sealing the win with a strong partnership with Angkrish Raghuvanshi. Archer had a tough outing, finishing wicketless and conceding 33 runs.
Overall, KKR’s dominant performance led them to victory, while de Kock’s unbeaten innings of 97 stood out despite being denied a century by Archer’s controversial wides.
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