KKR vs RR: Who won yesterday's match in IPL 2023?

The Rajasthan Royals (RR) beat the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by nine wickets in yesterday’s 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Bowling first after winning the toss, Rajasthan held Kolkata to 149/8 as Yuzvendra Chahal (4/25) became the all-time leading wicket-taker in the IPL. Yashasvi Jaiswal (98* off 47) then broke the record for the fastest IPL fifty, getting there in 13 balls, as RR romped home in 13.1 overs.

Jaiswal was absolutely dominant against KKR’s bowlers, clobbering 13 fours and five sixes. Captain Nitish Rana decided to open the bowling for Kolkata and Jaiswal took full advantage of the not-so-smart move, slamming him for two sixes and three fours as 26 runs came off the first over.

At the other end, Jos Buttler fell without scoring. He was run out by a direct hit from Andre Russell following a mix-up. The dismissal, however, did not affect Jaiswal as he kept going after KKR’s bowlers.

In the third over bowled by Shardul Thakur, he smacked the pacer for three consecutive fours. With a single flicked to deep square leg, he broke the record for the fastest IPL fifty, going past the earlier record jointly held by KL Rahul and Pat Cummins (14 balls).

Jaiswal and RR skipper Sanju Samson (48* off 29) added an unbroken 121 runs for the second wicket. With no pressure of the asking rate, Samson helped himself to two fours and five sixes. He took on Varun Chakaravarthy in sixth over and slapped him for a six and a four.

Immediately after the halfway stage of the innings, Samson went after Anukul Roy and clubbed him for three sixes. Fittingly, it was Jaiswal who hit the winning runs, sweeping Thakur for a four through backward square leg.

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Chahal’s 4/25 keeps KKR to 149/8

RR leggie Chahal came up with an excellent bowling performance to restrict KKR to 149/8. Bowling first, Trent Boult (3/15) got Rajasthan off to a great start, dismissing both the Kolkata openers.

Jason Roy (10) flicked a length ball and was caught by Shimron Hetmyer, running to the right from deep square leg. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (18) miscued a lofted hit and Sandeep Sharma took a good tumbling catch at mid-off.

KKR skipper Rana (22 off 17) and Venkatesh Iyer (57 off 42) added 48 runs for the third wicket. But Rana ended up becoming Chahal’s record 184th victim in the IPL, when he mistimed a sweep to deep backward square. Russell (10) was cramped for room by KM Asif and ended up cutting a delivery to backward point.

Iyer’s defiance ended when he chased a wide one off Chahal and skied a catch to cover. Chahal also trapped Thakur LBW for 1 before ending Rinku Singh’s (16) stay at the crease.

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KKR vs RR: Who won Player of the Match in yesterday's IPL 2023 match?

RR pacer Boult once again struck early blows, dismissing the openers. Chahal spun a web around Kolkata’s batters with his four-wicket haul. With the bat, Jaiswal was unstoppable and played a thoroughly dominant innings.

For KKR, Iyer scored a valiant half-century, hitting two fours and four sixes in his knock.

Jaiswal was named the Player of the Match for his record-breaking innings.