Kolkata Knight Riders Achieve Historic 20+ Wins Against Three Teams in IPL
KKR Makes IPL History with Dominant Win
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], April 4: The Kolkata Knight Riders have etched their name in the Indian Premier League's history by becoming the first franchise to achieve over 20 victories against three different teams, following a commanding win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the current season of the lucrative league.
On their home ground, KKR executed their game plan flawlessly, overpowering the Sunrisers with an impressive 80-run victory.
With this triumph, the Knight Riders not only secured their second win of the season but also marked a significant milestone, as they now hold 20 wins each against both Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, alongside an impressive 21 victories against Punjab Kings.
The match began with SRH captain Pat Cummins opting to bowl first, a decision that initially seemed wise as they quickly dismissed Quinton de Kock and Sunil Narine, leaving KKR at a precarious 16/2.
However, the tide turned thanks to a rapid counterattack led by captain Ajinkya Rahane, who scored 38 runs off 27 balls, including four sixes, and Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who contributed 50 runs off 32 balls with five fours and two sixes.
Despite losing these two key players in quick succession, Venkatesh Iyer (60 runs off 29 balls, with seven fours and three sixes) and Rinku Singh (32* off 17 balls, with four boundaries and a six) steadied the ship, propelling KKR to a total of 200/6, thanks to a crucial 91-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
In response, SRH's chase of 201 faltered during the powerplay as they lost their top order. Vaibhav Arora (3/29) and Varun Chakravarthy (3/22) were instrumental in dismantling the SRH batting lineup, with only Heinrich Klaasen (33 runs off 21 balls, with two fours and two sixes) and Kamindu Mendis (27 runs off 20 balls, with a four and two sixes) managing to pose any significant challenge to KKR's dominance.
This victory puts KKR's campaign back on track, bringing their record to two wins and two losses, placing them fifth in the standings, while SRH finds themselves at the bottom with one win and three losses.