Kolkata, 19 April 

Vice-captain Rinku Singh lived up to expectations with a composed unbeaten 53 as Kolkata Knight Riders survived anxious moments to script their first win of IPL 2026 with a four-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals, here on Sunday.

Courtesy Rinku and Anukul Roy, the target was achieved with two balls to spare and the win took them to ninth spot in the 10-team table.

Wily Varun Chakravarthy (3/14) returned to his best, showing perfect chemistry with veteran Sunil Narine (2/26) as KKR rediscovered their spin magic at Eden Gardens to restrict RR to an under-par 155/9. Rookie pacer Kartik Tyagi (3/22) also shone at the death with important wickets.

The bowlers had done half the job for KKR in pursuit of their maiden victory after six matches, and it was up to the batters to finish the task. But what followed was another familiar batting horror from a line-up that has struggled for consistency this season.

Reeling at 85/6 in 13.3 overs, KKR needed 69 runs from the last six overs, with RR’s bowlers tightening the screws and Rinku alongside Anukul Roy appearing to be the last recognised pair. Then came a moment of fortune as Rinku was dropped on eight by Nandre Burger - a sitter that proved to be the turning point.

The KKR vice-captain made full use of the reprieve to change gears, while Roy played the perfect supporting role as the duo stitched a match-winning 76-run seventh-wicket stand off just 37 balls to seal KKR’s first win of the season.

The much-awaited victory came after a six-match winless run, taking KKR to three points at the halfway stage. For RR, it was a second successive defeat, with their middle-order concerns persisting, especially with skipper Riyan Parag enduring a lean run.

The win will bring much-needed relief for KKR, who had lost from winning positions in recent games. It took them 22 days to finally break the jinx.

On a day when skipper Ajinkya Rahane failed again, registering a second successive duck, it was Rinku who led from the front with 53 not out off 34 balls (5x4, 2x6). Roy complemented him well with 29 not out off 16 balls (1x4, 2x6).

Rinku shifted momentum with a slog-sweep six off Ravi Bishnoi in the 16th over, while Roy matched him with a six in an over that yielded 19 runs.

Rinku then took on RR’s best bowler Jofra Archer with two boundaries, and Roy showed great composure by striking a six off him in the penultimate over as KKR were left needing just 11 runs in the final over.

RR will rue falling short by at least 30 runs, undone by the brilliance of Chakravarthy, Narine and Tyagi.

However, they had a perfect start while defending 155. The fiery pace duo of Archer and Burger reduced KKR to 5/2 in 1.2 overs. Archer struck with the very first ball, rattling Tim Seifert’s stumps with a sharp incoming delivery. Rahane followed soon after, edging behind to depart for a duck.

Cameron Green, who had impressed with a 79 in the previous match, counter-attacked with three consecutive boundaries and a six to revive KKR, taking them to 31/2 in four overs.

Thereafter, experienced campaigner Ravindra Jadeja applied further pressure with his tight lines and turn, dismissing Angkrish Raghuvanshi (10) and Rovman Powell (23) to leave KKR struggling at 70/5 in 10.1 overs.

But just when the chase seemed to be slipping away, Rinku and Roy turned the game on its head with a partnership full of composure and belief. Earlier RR raced to 63 for no loss in the power play after electing to bat.

Skipper Ajinkya Rahane appeared overly defensive with his approach, delaying the introduction of spin as the Rajasthan openers - Yashasvi Jaiswal and young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi - clocking at over 10 an over against the innocuous KKR pace attack. But when they were inserted, the much-anticipated match-up between Sooryavanshi and the experienced spin duo lived up to the expectations.

The 15-year-old struck Narine for a second ball six, but the veteran responded with five dot balls in his first over. Chakravarthy then dismissed him with his fourth delivery, reaching his landmark 200th T20 wicket.

Sooryavanshi’s slog sweep lacked power and was taken by a well-judged Ramandeep Singh at deep midwicket.

That dismissal triggered a collapse as RR, cruising at nearly 10 runs per over at the halfway stage, slipped to 118/4 in 15 overs, with the run rate dropping below eight.

They lost Sooryavanshi (46 off 28), Dhruv Jurel (5), Jaiswal (39 off 29) and skipper Riyan Parag (12) in quick succession against the run of play. Parag, the controversial choice as RR skipper, has been the worst performer for Royals so far.

The middle phase belonged entirely to KKR’s spin duo, who bowled in tandem and choked the scoring.