In Match 28 of IPL 2026, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) finally broke their winless streak with a spectacular four-wicket victory over the Rajasthan Royals (RR) at Eden Gardens. Opting to bat first, the Royals were restricted to a modest total of 155/9.
Despite a flying start from young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who played a boundary-filled knock of 46 off 28 balls, and Yashasvi Jaiswal’s steady 39, the RR innings derailed in the middle overs.
The KKR spin twins, Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine, were the architects of this collapse. Chakaravarthy delivered a masterful spell of 3/14, while Narine chipped in with 2/26, effectively dismantling the RR middle order and preventing a late-innings surge.
Kolkata’s chase began in disastrous fashion, as they slumped to 5/2 within the first eight balls. Both openers, Tim Seifert and captain Ajinkya Rahane, were dismissed for ducks by Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger, respectively.
The crisis deepened as the top order struggled to cope with the pace and precision of the RR attack, eventually leaving the hosts reeling at 70/5. However, the game saw a dramatic shift when Rinku Singh and Anukul Roy came together.
Here are some twitter reactions:
Highest stands for 7th wkt or lower in a successful IPL run-chase
91* – AB de Villiers & Iqbal Abdulla (RCB) vs GL, Bengaluru 2016
76* – Rinku Singh & Anukul Roy (KKR) vs RR, Kolkata, 2026**
75* – Axar Patel & Lalit Yadav (DC) vs MI, Brabourne, 2022#KKRVSRR pic.twitter.com/Il13jYKZjJ— 100rav X (@HereToTroll72) April 19, 2026
#RINKU #VARUN DONO KA COMEBACK HOGYA KKR VS RR #KKRWIN pic.twitter.com/bgubyuMO9Q
— Ankit khichi (@ankit_khic743) April 19, 2026
KKR vs RR aftermath:
Rajasthan Royals bottled a game they had no business losing.
63/0 in the powerplay.
155/9 after 20 overs.
Then KKR were 70/5 and 85/6 in the chase.That is three different chances to kill the match, and RR somehow donated life back every single time. Rinku… pic.twitter.com/nVHPa9MNpe
— Sid ⚡ (@sid_poojary) April 19, 2026
Rinku Singh ends the wait of 3 years with a brilliant match-winning fifty! 💜
Rinku vs RR:
53*(34) | 5 fours, 2 sixes | SR 156A knock KKR fans were craving since IPL 2024. pic.twitter.com/ZHlwovV5yq
— Rokte Amar KKR (@Rokte_Amarr_KKR) April 19, 2026
Rinku Singh, the ultimate finisher, is BACK! 🔥
Needed 9 in the last over vs RR… and he delivers 4, 4, 0, 6 to seal KKR's first win of IPL 2026!
Unbelievable 53*(33) under pressure. Gareeb Rinku no more – this is the Rinku we love! 💜🏏 #KKR #RinkuSingh #IPL2026 pic.twitter.com/btNbLgsGDi
— Shanaya (@Shanaya_talks) April 19, 2026
Gutter-level umpiring… still KKR rise 🔥
In the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals clash, it felt like the umpire tried everything to tilt the game towards RR—but failed. After 6 straight losses, KKR finally register their first win of the IPL season.
In the 17th over,… pic.twitter.com/mjEDIa2jOZ
— Jara (@JARA_Memer) April 19, 2026
Rinku Singh and Anukul Roy’s 76-Run Stand Guides KKR to Dramatic Comeback Win
Rinku, showing his trademark calm under pressure, anchored the chase with an unbeaten 53 off 34 balls. He received vital support from Anukul Roy, who contributed a quickfire 29 off 16 deliveries, as the pair shared a decisive 76-run partnership for the seventh wicket.
The match reached a thrilling conclusion in the final over, with KKR needing nine runs to win. Rinku Singh sealed the victory in style, smashing consecutive boundaries followed by a towering six over fine leg to bring up his half-century and secure KKR’s first two points of the season.
For the Rajasthan Royals, this marked their second consecutive loss despite a spirited effort from their bowlers, including Ravindra Jadeja, who finished with figures of 2/8. This victory not only gives KKR a much-needed boost in confidence but also reignites their campaign as they look to climb up from the bottom of the points table.
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