Rinku Singh guides KKR to first IPL 2026 win

Kolkata Knight Riders secured their first victory of IPL 2026 with a four-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals, thanks to a composed finish from Rinku Singh and a crucial late contribution from Anukul Roy. The result was built on disciplined spin bowling before the chase was held together under pressure.

Chasing 156, KKR reached 161 for 6 with two balls to spare, recovering from a shaky start and a demanding middle phase.

Rinku and Roy turn the chase

KKR’s chase looked under threat when the required rate climbed to 67 off 33 balls. At that stage, Anukul Roy stepped in with a decisive 29 off 16 balls, taking on difficult deliveries and keeping the equation within reach.

Rinku Singh, who had earlier been dropped on 8, anchored the finish. He began the final push with a slog-swept six off Ravi Bishnoi at the start of the 16th over and completed the chase with another six that brought up his unbeaten 53.

A key moment in the game came when that dropped catch allowed Rinku to stay at the crease. With KKR at 73 for 6 in 11 overs at that point, his dismissal would have left the chase in serious trouble. Instead, he capitalised fully, guiding the side through to the finish.

Despite tight spells from Rajasthan bowlers, including Ravindra Jadeja’s 2 for 8 in three overs and Yash Raj Punja’s 1 for 25, KKR held their composure in the closing overs. Jofra Archer, who struck with a first-ball wicket for the third consecutive match, also kept things tight late on, but KKR managed the final stretch effectively.

Spinners set up the contest

KKR’s win was shaped earlier by their spinners, who controlled the middle phase of Rajasthan’s innings. Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine combined for eight overs that produced 40 runs and five wickets, pulling the game back after a strong start from RR.

Rajasthan had reached 81 for 0, with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scoring 46 and Yashasvi Jaiswal contributing 39. Both batters adjusted to the slow surface, focusing on building an innings rather than accelerating early.

Sooryavanshi looked to attack, including early sixes against Jasprit Bumrah and Narine, but his innings ended when he attempted a big shot against Varun Chakravarthy and was caught in the deep. That dismissal triggered a collapse.

Varun then removed Dhruv Jurel, while Narine accounted for Jaiswal and later Donovan Ferreira with variations in pace and spin. Riyan Parag was also dismissed attempting an attacking shot against Varun.

The middle overs produced 5 wickets for 61 runs, halting Rajasthan’s momentum and preventing them from building a larger total.

Tyagi restricts late acceleration

Rajasthan were still in a position to push beyond 155, but Kartik Tyagi’s 19th over proved decisive. He dismissed Ravindra Jadeja and Shimron Hetmyer in quick succession, with both batters failing to execute their shots.

A third wicket in the over gave Tyagi figures of 3 for 22, his best in the format, and ensured Rajasthan finished at 155 for 9 rather than pushing towards a stronger total.

What this result means

This result gives Kolkata Knight Riders their first win of IPL 2026 after early struggles, with their spin attack and lower middle order combining to deliver a complete performance. For Rajasthan Royals, the inability to convert a strong start and the missed opportunity to dismiss Rinku early ultimately proved decisive in a match where 155 was not enough to defend.

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