Quinton de Kock was named the Player of the match for his unbeaten knock of 97 runs. The South African batted beautifully and showed no signs of being a retired cricketer. De Kock’s knock not only helped him earn a POTM award but also helped the Knight Riders register their first win of the season.
Varun Chakravarthy bowled superbly in the first innings as he picked up a couple of wickets. The mystery spinner maintained great control over his lines and lengths. He went for only 17 runs in his four overs. His two scalps included the RR skipper, Riyan Parag, and Wanindu Hasaranga.
Even though Moeen Ali did not have the best of nights with the bat in hand, he still proved to be a crucial player for the Knight Riders. Making his debut for the franchise, Ali picked up two wickets after coming into the clash replacing Sunil Narine. He went for only 23 runs in his four overs as the RR batters struggled to bat against his off-spin bowling.
Quinton de Kock, after missing out on a score against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the opening match of the season bounced back with a half-century. The left-handed batter scored 97 runs in 61 balls. He remained unbeaten at the crease and sealed the win for the Knight Riders. Even though the left-handed batter missed out on his century, he played one of the best knocks of the season.
The first innings was a complete domination by the Knight Riders and their bowlers. Led by the two spinners, the visitors restricted Rajasthan Royals to a score of only 151 runs. Varun Chakravarthy was the most impactful bowler taking two wickets while going for only 17 runs.
His bowling partner, Moeen making his KKR debut too bowled with great control. The English off-spinner had replaced Sunil Narine who has arguably been the biggest match-winner for the Knight Riders over the years. However, his absence was not felt as Ali picked up two wickets while conceding only 23 runs.
For the Royals, it was a disappointing start to the match with the bat in hand. Dhruv Jurel top-scorer with 33 runs while the other batters failed to go past the 30-run mark.
Quinton de Kock was the star performer in the second innings with the bat in hand. Chasing a meagre total of only 152 runs, de Kock played a fantastic knock worth 97 runs. He sealed the win with a six in the 18th over. 20-year-old, Angkrish Raghuvanshi played a great second fiddle to wicketkeeper-batter.
Unfortunately for the Royals, Wanindu Hasaranga was the sole wicket-taker for them. The Sri Lankan spinner picked up one wicket and went for 34 runs in three overs.
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