KKR vs RR Highlights: Jos Buttler guides Royals to record victory!

Welcome to the coverage of the 31st match of the IPL 2024 season between the Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals.

Our combined XI for KKR vs RR

KKR vs RR head to head stats

KKR are just ahead between the two sides when it comes to their record against each other in the cash-rich league. Among 28 matches in which these teams have met in IPL, 14 have been won by Kolkata Knight Riders, while Rajasthan Royals have won the rest 13 games including the two super over victories. 

KKR gear up for RR challenge

Fantastic Eden Gardens!

RR win toss!

Rajasthan Royals have won the toss and have opted to bowl first against Knight Riders in Kolata.

KKR Playing XIs

Philip Salt(w), Sunil Narine, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Shreyas Iyer(c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Varun Chakaravarthy, Harshit Rana

Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson(w/c), Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Kuldeep Sen, Yuzvendra Chahal

Iyer says

Would have loved to bowl as well based on the last game, on how the ball moved around. Whenever he (Narine) comes in, he is hard to read and he’s got that poker face all throughout, we want him to perform him the way he has. We are playing the same team.

Rajasthan Royals Playing XI

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson(w/c), Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Kuldeep Sen, Yuzvendra Chahal

Here we go!

Sunil Narine and Phil Salt will begin for KKR. Yesterday, IPL saw SRH break their own record of highest team total. A total of 549 runs were scored. How many will be scored today?

Riyan drops a dolly!

It was an easy catch for Riyan Parag. But Phil Salt gets a lifeline and Trent Boult is denied a first over wicket.

Rocky start

It has swung in and out for Boult & Avesh. That there have been only two boundaries in three overs is a testament to the fact that it hasn’t been an easy start. Salt and Narine who go hammer and tongs have a boundary each so far.

KKR 20/0 after 3

Phil Salt departs!

The other day, Ravi Bishnoi took a wonder catch and now, it’s Avesh Khan. He has just plucked it out of the thin air to dismiss Phil Salt. Kolkata lose their first wicket.

KKR 21/1 after 3.3

No power in play!

We had almost 100 runs scored in powerplay last night. But today, it’s bowlers’ power play so far. KKR have lost a wicket for 56. Sunil Narine smashed a six to get KKR across 50 runs. But it was a great bowling display.

KKR 56/1 after 6

Royals bring in Chahal as they hunt for breakthrough

Purple Cap holder Yuzvendra Chahal comes into bowl right after the powerplay. The spinner is just two wickets short of reaching the 200 wickets milestone. RR are still searching for the second breakthrough as Raghuvanshi and Narine continue to torment the bowlers.

Fifty partnership for Narine-Raghuvanshi

The duo of Sunill Narine and Angkrish Raghuvanshi bring up their fifty partnership

King Khan arrives at Eden Gardens!

Fifty for Narine

Sunil Narine continues to dominate RR bowlers as he brings up his fifty in 29 deliveries. KKR are 100/1 in 10 overs.

Injury scare for RR?

Game stopped briefly in the 11th over as a physio tends to Sanju Samson, who seems to have had a minor injury concern. Play has now resumed after a brief pause.

Kuldeep Sen strikes!

The dangerous Angkrish Raghuvanshi is gone, thanks to Kuldeep Sen. RR finally get the second wicket that they have desperately been looking for.

KKR are 106/2

Injury updates on Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma

RR head coach Kumar Sangakkara says on the telecast that Sandeep Sharma and Nandre Burger have recovered well from their injuries and Burger might have played today had they batted first

Narine becomes KKR’s leading run-scorer in IPL 2024

Shreyas Iyer departs

Veteran Yuzvendra Chahal traps KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer for a LBW. Iyer takes a review but it goes in vain as ball-tracking confirms on-field umpire’s decision.

KKR are 133/3

KKR on course to reach 200 runs!

An experienced Kuldeep Sen faces the wrath of Sunil Narine and Andre Russel. KKR are 161/3 in 15 overs.

100 for Sunil Narine!

Sunil Narine smashes a boundary to reach his first IPL century off 49 deliveries. The KKR opener replicated the same feat achieved by Venkatesh Iyer one year ago exactly.

No Russell mania today!

Andre Russell fails to fire, dismissed for 13 runs as Avesh Khan strikes

Gambhir, SRK can’t keep calm, so can’t KKR fans, for Narine

Boult strikes as Narine finally walks off!

Trent Boult struck to finally get rid of Sunil Narine. The Caribbean all-rounder smashed 109 off 56 deliveries before he walked back to the pavilion.

Rinku Singh shows why he’s the best!

KKR finisher Rinku Singh takes on Avesh Khan, smashes him for a boundary and a six in the penultimate over

Dhurv Jurel takes a stunner

Venkatesh Iyer departs after Dhruv Jurel grabs a brilliant catch. KKR are 215/6

KKR post mammoth 224-run target

Kolkata Knight Riders finish at 223 runs at the end of 20 overs, with Rinku Singh failing to hit a boundary off the final delivery.

RR start chase

Mitchell Starc comes in to start the innings, and Jaiswal and Buttler look for a flier. Two boundaries come from the over as RR 11/0 after 1 over.

Gone

One can make out that Jaiswal is trying a bit too hard here. After hitting a four and a six in the over, he is caught out for 19. RR 23/1 after 2 overs.

Samson departs!

Rajasthan Royals are in trouble as skipper Sanju Samson departs after falling victim to Harshit Rana. RR are now two wickets down.

Riyan Parag begins carnage!

Parag goes, courtesy of Russell!

Riyan Parag attempts to hit a big shot but the ball travels high in the air and Andre Russell completes a good catch. RR are 97/3 and need 127 runs to win the game

Narine strikes

Dhruv Jurel gets trapped by Sunil Narine. The umpire on-field gives his decision as not out but KKR challenge it. They retain the review as the ball-tracking forces the umpire to reverse his decision.

Injury scare for KKR!

Andre Russell dives near the boundary in an attempt to save a four. He stays down for a brief moment. He gets up and limps off to his next position. Should KKR be worried?

Ashwin walks back

Varun Chakravarthy strikes as Raghuvanshi takes a blinder of a catch to get rid of Ashwin. RR are 121/5

Hetmyer goes for golden duck!

Chakravarthy strikes in the very next ball, gets rid of Shimron Hetmyer for a golden duck. RR are in serious trouble now

Cramp trouble for Narine now!

The game has been paused briefly as Sunil Narine seems to be suffering from cramps

Buttler slams half-century

Jos Buttler slams a fifty as he leads Rajasthan Royals fightback in the chase of a mammoth total.

Powell’s fireworks short-lived

Rovman Powell gets trapped by Narine for an LBW. RR in deep trouble

Run-out!!

Trent Boult sacrifices his wicket to get Jos Buttler back on strike.

Another century for Buttler

Buttler sees through RR to highest-ever run-chase in IPL

Jos Buttler does it! The batter fights through the pain to ensure the highest run-chase in IPL so far! RR win by two wickets