Eden Gardens witnessed a match for the ages—one of drama, destruction, and devastation.
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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) held their nerve to beat Rajasthan Royals (RR) by a single run in a high-octane thriller that had everything: tension, sixes, last-ball drama, and one of the finest knocks of IPL 2025. But for RR and their fans, it was another tale of heartbreak. Again.
Batting first, KKR looked charged with intent. Andre Russell roared back into form, smashing a 25-ball 57 to power his side to 206/4.
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With playoff hopes hanging by a thread, the defending champions brought energy and execution—11 points now, and the fight is alive.
Rajasthan’s chase had its moments, but Riyan Parag turned the game on its head. Taking charge as stand-in captain, he played the innings of a lifetime—95 runs with six sixes across six balls, nearly stealing the game in the final over.
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With RR needing 22 from the last 6 balls, the sequence unfolded: 2, 1, 6, 4, 6, 1 & run out. One run shy. The stadium erupted. Some in ecstasy, others in disbelief.
It’s not just this one. RR have now lost by 1 run, 2 runs, 11 runs, and in a Super Over this season.
These aren’t defeats—they’re near-misses that sting harder. For a team fighting tooth and nail, the margins have been merciless. The expression on Ajinkya Rahane’s face said it all—silent, stunned, shattered.
While KKR cling to playoff hopes and find momentum when it matters most, RR will be left asking: What more could we have done?
Riyan Parag’s knock may be remembered as one of the great IPL innings, but it didn’t get the fairytale ending it deserved.
Cricket gave us a spectacle. KKR got the win. But RR got our sympathy. Again.
And in the backdrop of it all, two legends of the league quietly etched their place in the record books—Sunil Narine and Andre Russell, the two greatest in KKR history.
Narine now leads with 17 Player of the Match awards for the franchise, followed closely by Russell with 16 and counting. Icons of consistency. Giants of the game.
After watching his team’s performance and knowing that his team is still in the IPL race, SRK would have said in his Pathaan style, Zinda Hai!
