Kolkata, April 19 (IANS) A dramatic collapse in the latter half of the innings saw Rajasthan Royals squander a blazing start to finish at a below-par 155/9 against Kolkata Knight Riders in their IPL 2026 clash at Eden Gardens on Sunday.

Opting to bat first, Rajasthan Royals looked firmly in control early on, courtesy of an explosive opening partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The duo stitched together a commanding 81-run stand, laying a solid foundation after navigating a relatively quiet start.

While Jaiswal showcased his flair with innovative strokeplay, including a fine scoop and crisp drives, Sooryavanshi initially took time before accelerating, punishing anything loose. Rajasthan raced to 63 without loss in the powerplay, with the pair shifting gears effectively, particularly in the sixth over, where they plundered 22 runs.

However, the game turned sharply once spin was introduced. Varun Chakaravarthy broke the stand by dismissing Sooryavanshi for a well-made 46, a wicket that triggered a significant slowdown. The mystery spinner, who also reached the milestone of 200 T20 wickets during his spell, continued to apply pressure alongside Sunil Narine.

The spin duo choked the scoring rate and picked up key wickets in the middle overs. Jaiswal, who looked set for a bigger score, fell for 39 attempting to force the pace, while Dhruv Jurel was stumped soon after. Rajasthan slipped from 81/0 to 124/5, losing momentum drastically as boundaries dried up.

Despite a brief attempt to rebuild through Shimron Hetmyer and Ravindra Jadeja, the innings never quite recovered. Hetmyer struggled for fluency, while Jadeja’s late boundary offered only temporary respite.

The final overs turned chaotic as Rajasthan completely lost their way. Kartik Tyagi delivered a decisive blow with a three-wicket over, removing Jadeja, Hetmyer and Ravi Bishnoi in quick succession. His incisive spell derailed any hopes of a strong finish.

In the closing stages, wickets continued to tumble, including a run-out off the final ball that summed up Rajasthan’s disarray. From a position of strength at 139/4 after 14 overs, they managed to add just 16 runs while losing five wickets in a dramatic collapse.

Kolkata’s bowlers, led by Chakaravarthy (3/14) and Tyagi (3/22), were clinical in exploiting the conditions, ensuring Rajasthan were restricted to a total that appeared well below par on a good batting surface.

Brief scores: Rajasthan Royals 155/9 in 20 overs (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 46, Yashasvi Jaiswal 39; Varun Chakaravarthy 3-14, Kartik Tyagi 3-22) against Kolkata Knight Riders.

–IANS

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