Ajinkya Rahane Praises Moeen Ali's Bowling in KKR's IPL Victory
Rahane Commends Moeen Ali's Bowling Skills
Guwahati (Assam) [India] - On March 27, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Ajinkya Rahane expressed his admiration for off-spinner Moeen Ali's outstanding bowling display against Rajasthan Royals (RR) during the sixth match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, held at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati.
Moeen Ali stepped in for Sunil Narine in the playing XI and delivered an impressive performance, taking two wickets in his four-over spell while allowing just 23 runs. His economy rate was 5.8, and he dismissed both Yashasvi Jaiswal and Nitish Rana.
In the post-match presentation, Rahane remarked, “We bowled exceptionally well in the initial six overs. The middle overs were also vital, with the spinners maintaining control. Moeen seized his chance and bowled excellently. We encourage our players to play without fear and give them the freedom to express themselves. Our bowling unit deserves credit for their wicket-hunting mindset, especially Moeen. We provide complete freedom to our players.”
Despite his bowling success, Rahane supported Moeen Ali after he struggled with the bat, scoring only five runs off 12 balls before being run out in the eighth over. Rahane stated, “Moeen is a talented player who has opened in the past. Although he didn’t perform with the bat, I’m pleased with his bowling. The key is to remain present in the moment, as every match offers a chance to learn.”
During the chase for 152 runs, Moeen Ali and Quinton de Kock opened the innings for KKR, scoring 40 runs in the powerplay. After six overs, Moeen Ali was at 4* and Quinton de Kock at 34*.
In the seventh over, KKR lost their first wicket when Moeen Ali was run out after scoring 5 runs. The team reached the 50-run mark in the eighth over, with Rahane taking a single off leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga. KKR lost their second wicket in the 11th over when Rahane was dismissed for 18 runs by Hasaranga.
De Kock reached his half-century on the second-to-last ball of the 11th over with a six off Hasaranga. KKR crossed the 100-run milestone in the 13th over, with Rahane taking another single. The match concluded with De Kock hitting a six in the 18th over, finishing with an unbeaten 97 runs off 61 balls, alongside Angrish Raghuvanshi, who scored 22 runs off 17 balls.
For Rajasthan Royals, one wicket was taken by a leg-spinner in three overs, conceding 34 runs, while the other wicket resulted from a runout.