Rajasthan Royals suffered an agonising one-run loss against Kolkata Knight Riders in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 match at the Eden Gardens on Sunday.

Batting first, KKR posted 206/4 powered by Andre Russell’s quickfire half-century.

RR, at 71/5, seemed to be struggling in the chase before Riyan Parag’s valiant 95 and a late surge from Shubham Dubey reignited their hopes. But the comeback fell agonisingly short, as Rajasthan lost by just one run.

The loss keeps RR in eighth position on the IPL 2025 standings with six points from 12 matches. The Knights, meanwhile, kept their title defence alive and rose to the sixth position with 11 points from as many games.

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Asked to field first, RR struck in the second over with Yudhvir Singh trimming the top of Sunil Narine’s stumps. However, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane mounted a rescue act and steadied the team’s innings.

Just as Gurbaz and Rahane looked at ease after putting up a 50-run partnership, Wanindu Hasaranga struck to dismiss the Afghan opener.

Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi took KKR past 100 before RR skipper Riyan Parag got his opposite number Rahane to nick one straight to Dhruv Jurel. Raghuvanshi contributed 44 before falling to Jofra Archer in the 19th over.

Andre Russell, however, smashed 57* off 25 to propel KKR to 206/4, with Rinku Singh adding a brisk 19* off six balls at the death.

In response, Rajasthan Royals got off to a rocky start and lost Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the very first over.

After hitting Vaibhav Arora for a classy boundary through the offside in his very first ball, the teenager attempted to heave the next over long on only to find Rahane, who ran back from midwicket to take a sensational catch.

Kunal Singh Rathore, making his IPL debut in place of the injured Nitish Rana, suffered a disappointing maiden outing as he walked back for a five-ball duck.

After losing the two early wickets, Yashasvi Jaiswal (34) and Riyan Parag stabilised the RR innings but Jaiswal departed just after the powerplay while trying to go after Moeen Ali.

Both Dhruv Jurel and Hasaranga fell to Varun Chakaravarthy in the eighth over, severely denting RR’s bid in the match as the visitors were reduced to 71/5.

Parag, however, led the Royals’ fightback from the front with Shimron Hetmyer for company. The RR captain batted sensibly to rebuild before letting loose with six straight sixes, including five on the bounce off Moeen. Parag also became the first player in IPL history to hit six maximums on the trot in the competition.

With 52 to get in the final five overs, RR were very much in the game.

However, Harshit Rana broke the 92-run partnership by removing Shimron Hetmyer, conceding just five runs in the 17th over to tilt the game back in KKR’s favour.

With 38 needed off the last 18 balls, Riyan Parag went for broke but fell short of a well-deserved century, as he was caught in the deep.

Rajasthan Royals required 22 from the final over, bowled by Vaibhav Arora. After a couple and a single, Impact Player Shubham Dubey stepped up, smashing two sixes and a four to leave three needed off the last ball.

But Arora nailed his yorker, forcing RR to stop one-run short after Jofra Archer was run out at the non-striker’s end.

The Royals will hit the road again to face Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk next Monday before returning home to host Punjab Kings at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur for their final assignment of the season on May 16.

Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals, IPL 2025, brief scores: KKR 206/4 in 20 overs (Andre Russell 57*; Riyan Parag 1/21) beat RR 205/8 in 20 overs (Riyan Parag 95; Varun Chakravarthy 2/32) by 1 run.