RR Vs KKR, IPL 2025 Highlights: Quinton de Kock's Unbeaten 97* Powers KKR To 8-Wicket Win Over RR

A sensational 97* from KKR opener Quinton de Kock was all that the defending champions needed to get back to winning ways.

RR kept the contest tight initially, with a strong bowling display in the powerplay, constricting KKR to just 40 runs.

Although, the Royals found a bit of leeway, removing Ali and Rahane with relative ease, there was no denying the Protean de Kock, who had his way with every bowler that RR threw his way.

Finally, the fiery KKR opener wrapped it up by hammering Jofra Archer for consecutive boundaries, ending just 3 runs shy of a century, but with the first win for KKR in their IPL 2025 campaign.

SIX, FOUR & SIX!

Quinton de Kock seals the victory for the Kolkata Knight Riders in fiery fashion, dominating Jofra Archer for boundaries galore!

KKR Win By 8 Wickets!

RR take the second new ball, and bring back Theekshana for his last over.

Chaos ensues, as Raghuvanshi survives a run-out scare, while de Kock survives an LBW scare, in the same delivery!

Theekshana throws away a wondrous over, with a wide that runs down third-man for FOUR. 10 runs off the over.

Tushar Deshpande is now introduced as the death-over specialist. But the pacer is welcomed by de Kock with a slice off a wide that runs down third-man for a one-bounce FOUR!

The pace though does better afterward, ending his over with just 7 runs conceded as RR stay in the game.

The umpire calls for a time-out!

RR bring in Nitish Rana as the new bowler in, in a brave move. The slow-bowler makes good on the chance mostly, but they gets pummelled by Raghuvanshi straight down for a FOUR to end the over with 9 runs!

Sandeep Sharma slows down the scoring for a brief moment, giving away just 6 runs off his over.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi joins in on the scoring fun, pulling one off Hasaranga for a FOUR. de Kock follows suit, hammering another one down the ground for yet another boundary!

13 runs off the over for KKR!

A pitch invader pauses the game for a brief moment. But, there is no stopping de Kock, who PUMMELS Parag for a humongous SIX!

10 runs off the over, and that is the end of Parag’s spell.

Quinton de Kock seems to be a man on a mission, as the KKR opener goes down the ground and over mid-wicket for a rocket off a SIX off Hasaranga! 10 runs off the over.

OUT! Hasaranga finds his groove, stunning Rahane with a wrong-un, forcing the KKR skipper to sky one high for an easy catch!

Rahane c Deshpande b Hasaranga 18(15)

Theekshana starts off with a beauty that completely bamboozles Rahane, leading to an LBW appeal. But, the ball isn’t hitting the wickets and RR lose a review.

A rejuvenated Rahane then turns the pressure around, smacking the spinner for a huge SIX over square-leg, as KKR try to get their run rate up.

de Kock then survives an LBW scare of his own, as KKR utilise a review to overturn the umpire’s initial decision. 9 runs off the over.

Parag continues to do a fabulous job with the ball, bowling yet another quiet over, giving away just 6 singles.

The umpire calls for a time-out!

Wanindu Hasaranga is brought in by RR now. In what seems to be classic fashion today, he also is welcomed with a wallop from de Kock, who sweeps him through fine-leg for a FOUR!

KKR skipper Rahane then finds a half-hearted volley over covers, that runs down for a FOUR as well! 11 runs off the over.

Who would have thought that Riyan Parag would be the difference-maker with the ball? the RR skipper keeps it tight after dismissing Ali, giving away just 4 runs off his over.

OUT! In a moment of utter confusion, Moeen Ali tries to force a second run, but is refused by de Kock at the striker’s end, causing Parag to run him out with ease!

Moeen Ali run out (Theekshana) 5(12)

The veteran pacer Sandeep Sharma is introduced into the RR bowling attack now. The Indian starts off well, but then gets whacked by de Kock down mid-wicket for an easy FOUR!

Sandeep recovers yet again, holding de Kock to dots, ending his over after giving away just 5 runs.

RR skipper Riyan Parag takes the ball next in search of a difference. But, de Kock sees none, hammering the off-break bowler for a hefty smack down deep mid-wicket for a FOUR!

Parag though provides some relief afterward, giving away just 2 more runs, and ending his over by conceding a economical 6 runs.

de Kock is on fire! The Protean KKR batter goes down the ground against Theekshana for an outrageous sweep over square-leg that flies over the line for a SIX!

Theekshana otherwise keeps the over tight, as KKR find 9 runs off the spinner’s over.

No time to waste for de Kock yet again, who slices one through the off-side with class, as Archer watches the ball run down for FOUR!

Archer then tempts Ali into a pulling hook that goes sky-high but falls safely down square leg in no man’s land.

de Kock though continues to have no remorse, pulling Archer over long-on for a humongous SIX! 13 runs off the over.

Veteran spinner Maheesh Theekshana is the next man up for RR to have a spin with the ball. KKR’s de Kock wastes no time, taking the attack to the spinner, and opening his account with a sweep that goes for FOUR!

The Sri Lankan recovers well though, giving away just 1 more run in his over, as KKR reap 5 runs off the over.

Jofra Archer takes the new ball for RR, and begins with an absolute pearler that whizzes just past Ali’s outside edge! The England pacer keeps Ali on his toes throughout the over, notching a wondrous over where he gives away just 2 runs off wides.

KKR’s opening pair of Quinton de Kock and Moeen Ali walk out to the crease to embark on their chase of 152, hoping to secure their first win of the season. Who will triumph?

A dominant display by KKR here who put in a collectively dominant bowling performance with contributions coming in from all five bowlers here. RR were struggling to take on the spinners here and the early wickets proved to be costly.

Spencer Johnson comes in for the final over, and he gives away the full-toss here, and Archer swings here for the home-run here over the mid-wicket boundary ropes here. Johnson finally opts to keep it full and straight and uproots the leg-stump here. Tushar Deshpande gets away with two runs in the final ball to get RR over the 150-run mark.

Jofra Archer 16(7) b. S Johnson

Jofra Archer comes in and clears the third-man boundary ropes here with ease to get the maximum. But Hetmyer, who is meant for this situation, finds the man at the long-on boundary ropes here.

Shimron Hetmyer 7(8) c. A Raghuvanshi b. H Rana

Outside-off here from Harshit Rana and the full-toss gets the inside-edge and hits the stumps here. Valiant knock here from Jurel but is unable to see it through to the end.

Dhruv Jurel 33(28) b. H Rana

After two wide deliveries, Shimron Hetmyer gets the lucky boundary here. Looked to slap it over the long-off ropes but found the fielder. However, Venkatesh Iyer, the man at the deep, was unable to keep hold of the ball as it raced away for four runs. Jurel looks to attack here, but the ball hits Hetmyer. Eight runs from the over.

Harshit Rana comes back into the attack. KKR have also made their impact sub, bringing in Angkrish Raghuvanshi in place of Varun Chakaravarthy. Rana goes short, but Jurel ramps it away for the boundary. Finishes off the over with the boundary to the covers here.

Varun Chakaravarthy is in for his final over. Another quiet one as Hetmyer starts slow here hoping to see him off. Just two runs from the over.

Vaibhav Arora is back into the attack here. Shubham is struggling to find his timing here. Finally gets one over the third-man region to get the boundary here. He looks to go big once more and is unable to find the timing. The ball heads straight to the deep backward point fielder, who takes the catch.

Shubham Dubey 9(12) c. A Russell b V Arora

Harshit Rana comes back into the attack. Jurel looks to go on the offensive here, beats the keeper with the intentional edge and gets the boundary to start off. Follows it up with the inside-edge and gets the boundary again. 11 runs from the over.

Moeen Ali completes his quota here. Jurel looks to go on the offensive with the boundary coming towards the long-on region. Couple of singles along with that to make it 8 runs in the over.

Varun Chakaravarthy comes in for his third over. Keeps it nice and tight and the boundaries have dried up here for the Royals. Just three runs from the over.

Moeen Ali is back for his third over. Gets the delivery that is spinning away from the left-hander and Rana does not play his drive right, exposing his stumps in the process.

Nitish Rana 8(9) c. M Ali

Interesting change made by the Royals here. Wanindu Hasaranga comes into bat here. After a few singles, he looks to go big against the spinners but is unable to get his timing right. He tries once again, and he finds the fielder at the covers here.

Wanindu Hasaranga 4(6) c. A Rahane b. V Chakaravarthy

Moeen Ali continues here, and he gets the big wicket of Yashasvi Jaiswal here. Looked to pull it over the boundary but fell short, finding the man at the deep mid-wicket region.

Yashasvi Jaiswal 29(24) c. H Rana b. M Ali

Varun Chakaravarthy comes into the attack here. Bowls it too short and Parag pulls it away over the mid-wicket boundary ropes for the maximum here. But his aggressive mindset gets the better of him as he mistimes the quicker delivery and skies it to find the keeper.

Riyan Parag 25(15) c. Q de Kock b. V Chakaravarthy

Moeen Ali comes into the attack. Keeps it tight here as the batters struggle to keep up with the change in bowling here. Just five runs coming in the over.

Vaibhav Arora is in for his third over. Riyan Parag once again with the one-handed shot, clears the boundary by the sight screen for the six. Jaiswal closes out the over with the inside-out shot going over the covers for the second maximum in the over.

Harshit Rana comes into the attack. Riyan Parag wastes no time and plays the one-handed flick to clear the boundary ropes for the six over backward-square-leg ropes. Jaiswal looks to go straight down but gets it on Harshit’s hands. However, he is not able to make it stick here and a possible dropped chance that could be costly.