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Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Rajasthan Royals by five wickets to register maiden win of IPL 2026. Chasing 156, KKR rode on an unbeaten 76-run stand between Rinku Singh and Anukul Roy to romp home with three balls to spare.
Rinku Singh (2R) is congratulated by Varun Chakravarthy (R) after KKR defeated Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026. (AFP)Ajinkya Rahane called strike-rate “over-rated” and emphasized on the “cricketing awareness” after Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) maiden win in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). After five losses in six games, the three-time champions defeated Rajasthan Royals by four wickets on Sunday to register their first full points in front of the home fans at Eden Gardens.
Over the last six games, KKR never had a solid powerplay, which according to spinner Varun Chakaravarthy and head coach Abhishek Nayar, made all the difference so far for the Purple and Gold. Against Rajasthan Royals, the KKR batting once again crumbled like a pack of cards. Chasing 156 runs, KKR lost half of their side by 10.1 overs.
But it was the unbeaten 76-run stand between Rinku Singh and Anukul Roy, that sealed the game for KKR with three balls to spare. With the required run ate just close to eight, the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Cameron Green and Rovman Powell, all perished to unnecessary shots.
Rahane admitted to KKR's poor powerplay conversion in IPL 2026 as a batting group but also called for the game awareness. “Batting-wise, yes, we had a bad powerplay last three games, that's where the cricketing awareness comes in as a team,” Rahane said after KKR's win.
“Sometimes I feel strike rate is overrated. Wicket like this, you just have to focus on the singles, still keep the intent, but have those singles and doubles. It's not about going out there and hitting big sixes. I think if we can have that cricketing awareness, take the game deep, and we saw what happened today,” added Rahane, who himself registered two consecutive ducks.
KKR's ‘great escape’ at Eden Gardens
Echoing Rahane, Rinku and Anukul focussed more on the singles and doubles and kept the scoreboard ticking. In fact, it was the 16th and 17th overs that changed the course of the game. While the KKR duo clobbered two massive sixes against Ravi Bishnoi just after the second time-out, Rinku's two fours off Jofra Archer proved to be the turning point for KKR.
Describing the win as a "great escape", Rahane reiterated that they need to learn quickly as far as their batting is concerned. “This was a great escape for us, I would say, that partnership from Rinku and Anukul, but as a batting unit, we need to learn very quickly,” Rahane added.
“Thankfully, we'll get those five, six extra days now before the next game, and those days will be really good, but we need to reflect, we need to learn what errors we have made, because as I said, cricketing God gives you that one opportunity,” said Rahane. KKR will next play Lucknow Super Giants on April 26 at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.
Catch the live updates from IPL 2026 with the complete IPL 2026 Schedule and the IPL 2026 Points Table. Also, know who are currently leading the charts in IPL 2026 Orange Cap and IPL 2026 Purple Cap.
About the Author
Koushik Paul
Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.
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