IPL: Thrilling 1-Run Win Helps Kolkata Stay in the Race

Kolkata Knight Riders held their nerves to win by just 1 run in a thrilling IPL match. The close victory keeps their playoff hopes alive as they continue to fight for a spot in the top four of the table.

Kolkata Wins by Just 1 Run in a Thrilling Match

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) stayed alive in the IPL 2025 playoff race with a thrilling 1-run win over Rajasthan Royals at Eden Gardens on Sunday, May 4. The match went down to the last ball, with Rajasthan needing 22 runs in the final over but falling short by just one run. (More Sports News)

Kolkata Posts a Big Total After Strong Batting

After winning the toss, KKR decided to bat first. Although Sunil Narine was out early after scoring just 11 runs, the rest of the team showed good form. Rahmanullah Gurbaz played a quick and useful innings of 35 runs, giving the team a steady start.

Ajinkya Rahane, who led the team in this match, added 30 runs off 24 balls. Young batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi impressed once again, scoring 44 runs from 31 balls and playing some classy shots. But the real fireworks came from Andre Russell.

Russell’s Power Lifts Kolkata to 206

Andre Russell, who hadn’t performed much in this season, finally exploded with the bat. He smashed 57 runs in just 25 balls, hitting 6 sixes and 4 fours. His big hits in the last few overs took Kolkata to a strong total of 206 for 4 wickets.

Rinku Singh also supported well with a short but powerful knock of 19 runs from just 6 balls. Thanks to these two finishers, Kolkata posted a big target for Rajasthan to chase.

Rajasthan Fights Hard But Falls Short

Rajasthan Royals had a very shaky start. They lost two wickets for just 8 runs, putting them under early pressure. But young batters Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag tried to pull things back. They formed a 66-run partnership, giving the team some hope.

Jaiswal played a quick innings of 34 runs in 21 balls before getting out. But Riyan Parag played one of his best IPL innings, scoring a brilliant 95 runs off just 45 balls. He hit the ball all around the ground and almost took his team to victory.

Shimron Hetmyer added 29 runs, while Shubham Dubey remained not out with 25 runs from 14 balls. Jofra Archer also helped towards the end.

Final Over Drama at Eden Gardens

The last over of the match was full of drama. Rajasthan needed 22 runs to win. Shubham Dubey and Jofra Archer gave it their all and scored 20 runs. But Kolkata bowlers kept their cool and managed to stop Rajasthan just 1 run short. The crowd at Eden Gardens erupted with joy as KKR won the match in thrilling fashion.

Bowlers Play Key Role in Kolkata’s Victory

KKR’s bowlers did a decent job under pressure. Moeen Ali, Harshit Rana, and Varun Chakravarthy each took 2 wickets. Vaibhav Arora picked up 1 wicket. While they did give away some runs, they kept things tight in the end overs and ensured the win.

Playoff Hopes Still Alive for Kolkata

With this win, Kolkata now has 11 points from 11 matches and has moved to 6th place on the IPL points table. They have 3 more matches to play. If they win all of them, they still have a good chance of making it to the playoffs.

On the other hand, Rajasthan Royals have been officially eliminated from the tournament after this close defeat.

Conclusion

It was a match full of excitement, great batting, and a thrilling finish. Kolkata’s fighting spirit and Russell’s explosive batting gave them a much-needed win. Now, they must carry this momentum forward to stay in the playoff race.