11th May 2023 - Eden Gardens, Kolkata
In a record-breaking spectacle at the Eden Gardens, the Rajasthan Royals (RR) soared to the third spot on the TATA IPL 2023 points table with a resounding 9-wicket victory over the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Yuzvendra Chahal's exceptional four-wicket haul and Yashasvi Jaiswal's explosive half-century powered the Royals to an emphatic win.
Chasing 150 for victory, Rajasthan Royals couldn't have asked for a better start. Yashasvi Jaiswal's confidence oozed as he bludgeoned 26 runs off the very first over. Although Jos Buttler fell victim to a brilliant direct hit by Andre Russell, Jaiswal was unstoppable, smashing the fastest fifty in IPL history. Rajasthan Royals cruised to 78/1 after just six overs, with Jaiswal leading the charge.
Skipper Sanju Samson joined the onslaught, peppering the boundaries alongside Jaiswal. The duo reached a century partnership in a mere 56 balls. With more than six overs to spare, Rajasthan Royals sealed the deal, with Jaiswal unbeaten on a sensational 98*, securing a comprehensive 9-wicket victory in Kolkata.
Earlier, Rajasthan Royals won the toss and elected to field. The openers Jason Roy and Rahmanullah Gurbaz faced a challenging pace attack from RR, limiting their scoring opportunities. Trent Boult struck early, with Shimron Hetmyer taking a spectacular catch near the ropes. Gurbaz showcased some aggressive strokes with two lofted sixes, but Boult claimed his wicket inside the powerplay. Nitish Rana and Venkatesh Iyer then stepped up for KKR, rebuilding the innings. The pair accelerated after an explosive 18-run over from Ravi Ashwin. At the halfway mark, KKR stood at 76/2.
Yuzvendra Chahal not only ended the Rana-Iyer partnership but also etched his name in IPL history as the leading wicket-taker of all time. Venkatesh Iyer continued his fearless batting, reaching a well-deserved half-century. However, it was Chahal who continued to shine, dismissing both Iyer and Shardul Thakur. Chahal's impressive four-wicket haul restricted KKR to 149/8. Sandeep Sharma claimed a wicket on the final delivery, adding to KKR's total.
In a nutshell, Rajasthan Royals cruised to a remarkable victory, propelled by Jaiswal's outstanding innings and Chahal's match-winning bowling. With this win, RR climbed up the points table, while KKR faced a disappointing defeat.
Brief Scores: Rajasthan Royals 151/1 (Yashasvi Jaiswal 98*, Sanju Samson 48*) beat Kolkata Knight Riders 149/8 (Venkatesh Iyer 57, Nitish Rana 22; Yuzvendra Chahal 4-25) by 9 wickets.