Kolkata Knight Riders One-Run thriller against Rajasthan Royals in the Last-Ball

KKR nail biting one run last ball win over RR 

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) kept their Indian Premier League playoff alive after securing a dramatic one-run victory over the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in a heart stopping encounter today (Sunday, May 4^th). In a match that fluctuated wildly until the very last delivery, KKR successfully defended their total of 206, thanks to composed death bowling after surviving a spectacular onslaught from Riyan Parag.

KKR Innings

Batting first, Kolkata Knight Riders posted a competitive total of 206 for 4. While details on the early part of the innings were brief in the source text, Angkrish Raghuvanshi contributed a solid 44 runs. The innings received significant late momentum from Andre Russell, who played a crucial unbeaten innings of 57 runs off just 25 balls. His power-hitting ensured KKR scored 70 runs in their final five overs, setting a challenging target for the home side.

Rajasthan Chase

Rajasthan Royals' chase was dominated by an extraordinary innings from Riyan Parag, who scored a remarkable 95 runs. At one stage, Parag hit six consecutive sixes, including five in a single over bowled by Moeen Ali, bringing RR back into contention after KKR's spinners, Varun Chakravarthy (2/32) and Moeen Ali (2/43), had made inroads. Despite losing partners, Parag kept Rajasthan's hopes alive, leaving them needing 22 runs from the final over.

Final over Seals KKR Victory

The final over, bowled by Vaibhav Arora, was filled with tension. Shubham Dubey struck two fours and a six, reducing the equation to three runs required off the final ball. Attempting to secure two runs to force a Super Over, Dubey hit the ball to long-on. However, a sharp throw from Rinku Singh resulted in Jofra Archer being run out short of his ground, confirming KKR's narrow one-run victory.

This thrilling victory provides Kolkata Knight Riders their mission for a playoff spot. While Rajasthan Royals will rue another close finish going against them. The match was ultimately decided by KKR's ability to hold their nerve till the final moments.