Kolkata Knight Riders secure first IPL win as Punjab Kings set record total

Kolkata Knight Riders claimed victory at Eden Gardens with a tense four-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals, completing the chase with just two balls remaining.

Rajasthan made a strong start after choosing to bat, with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (46) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (39) putting together a fluent opening stand.

Their approach carried the score past 80 without loss, setting up a platform for a big total. However, Kolkata's spinners shifted the momentum decisively. Varun Chakaravarthy led the turnaround with an outstanding spell of 3/14, while Sunil Narine provided key support with two wickets. Rajasthan lost control through the middle overs and, despite a promising start, were restricted to 155/9.

Kolkata's reply began poorly, losing two wickets in the opening over and slipping further into trouble at 70/5 midway through the innings. With the chase in danger, Rinku Singh and Anukul Roy rebuilt the innings with a composed partnership. They balanced caution with timely aggression, gradually bringing the target within reach.

The match swung in Kolkata's favour during the closing overs, particularly after a high-scoring over eased the pressure. Anukul Roy contributed a valuable unbeaten 29, while Rinku Singh anchored the chase with a composed, match-winning 53 not out.

Needing nine from the final over, Rinku took control, striking consecutive boundaries before sealing the win with a six. His innings ensured Kolkata crossed the line and secured their first points of the season, while Rajasthan were left to reflect on a match that slipped away after a strong start.

Punjab Kings excelled in their first attempt at setting a target this season, piling up 254 against Lucknow Super Giants on a fresh New Chandigarh surface — the highest total of IPL 2026. The 54-run win extended their unbeaten run to six matches, while LSG slumped to a third straight defeat, remaining eighth on the table.

After losing Prabhsimran Singh early, PBKS were propelled by a dominant stand between Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly. Arya led the charge in the powerplay, smashing a 19-ball fifty with aggressive leg-side hitting and sharp awareness of length and field. Connolly, initially watchful, shifted gears to attack both pace and spin, including a three-sixes over off Aiden Markram. By the 13th over, PBKS had surged to 179 for 1.

LSG briefly hit back through Prince Yadav and M Siddharth, removing both set batters and slowing the scoring. But Marcus Stoinis' late assault ensured PBKS crossed 250, finishing with a season-high 21 sixes.

The chase never gathered enough momentum. Despite a decent powerplay, the steep target kept LSG behind the rate. Vyshak Vijaykumar dismissed Ayush Badoni, and disciplined bowling from Vyshak and Yuzvendra Chahal stalled progress in the middle overs. Chahal removed Mitchell Marsh, and with Rishabh Pant and Nicholas Pooran falling soon after, LSG slipped to 128 for 4 in the 13th over.

Aiden Markram's late hitting reduced the margin, but the result was never in doubt as PBKS sealed another commanding win, strengthening their push for a top-two finish.