New Delhi: Kolkata Knight Riders finally end their long wait for IPL 2026 victory with narrow margin rajasthan royals Beaten by four wickets in a tense finish at Eden Gardens on Sunday. The vice-captain’s calm unbeaten 53 Linku Singh Taking KKR across the finish line with two balls remaining, they finally broke their six-game winless streak after a frustrating 22 days. The win also lifted them off the bottom of the table and provided much-needed relief to a team that had repeatedly faltered in winning positions early in the season.What happened: KKR vs RR, IPL 2026
Chakravarthy-Narine break RR’s early dominance
RR chose to bat first and started in a condescending manner. Yashasvi Jaiswal (39) and young star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (46) stormed KKR’s attack and scored 81 runs in just 8.3 overs without conceding a single run. The duo, who looked destined for a huge total, scored freely against the seamers, putting KKR under immediate pressure. However, the introduction of spin completely changed the situation of the innings.Varun Chakravarthy (3/14) and Sunil Narine (2/26) combined in devastating fashion, exerting ruthless control and stifling the scoring rate. Chakravarthy struck at crucial moments, including dispelling Suryavanshi, while Narine created pressure at the other end with tight lines and variations. RR suddenly found themselves slipping from a dominant 81/0 to 117/4 and the momentum shifted sharply towards KKR.The collapse deepened further as Kartik Tyagi played a disciplined spell at the death, taking 3/22 and ensuring that RR could never recover. Despite brief contributions from Shimron Hetmyer and Riyan Parag, Rajasthan Royals were restricted to a sub-par 155/9, a total that did not reflect their strong start but once again highlighted the fragility of their middle-order.
KKR’s collapse, Rinku’s redemption
Chasing 156, KKR suffered an immediate setback when both openers were called off without scoring, including one from Jofra Archer. Skipper Ajinkya Rahane also suffered a heavy fall, putting the home team under tremendous pressure early in the innings.Cameron Green’s counter-attacking knock of 27 off 13 balls, hitting 4 boundaries and 6 balls, briefly reignited hopes, but he was dismissed for a sharp stump by Dhruv Jurel on Ravi Bishnoi, which swung the momentum back in RR’s direction. Soon after, KKR were in trouble at 70/5 as RR’s bowlers tightened the screws.At this point, RR seemed to have a firm grip on the game, but the crux of the game came when Rinku Singh missed a crucial chance. From that point on, the vice-captain remained remarkably calm under pressure, refusing to take unnecessary risks while gradually rebuilding the chase. Alongside him, Anukul Roy played a vital supporting role, rotating the attack and punishing loose passes.The duo registered a 76-run win in just 37 balls, shifting the pressure entirely on RR. Rinku’s unbeaten 53 off 34 balls was a masterclass in controlling the attack as he found boundaries at crucial moments while maintaining the momentum of the chase. Roy, unbeaten on 29 off 16, provided flawless finishing support, including timely boundaries, ensuring the asking price never exceeded expectations.
KKR finally breaks the curse
Eventually, KKR crossed the line with two balls remaining, completing a much-needed comeback after failing repeatedly in tense games earlier in the season. The win marked their first in seven games and brought a sense of stability to a season that threatened to be derailed early.It was another game for Rajasthan Royals where, despite their early dominance, a strong start with the bat was ruined by a dramatic collapse and inability to end the chase. Their struggles with rotation in the midfield and lack of lethal ball penetration ultimately cost them the game.
