Kolkata Knight Riders narrowly defeated Rajasthan Royals by one run, keeping their IPL knockout hopes alive. Riyan Parag's explosive innings, including five sixes in one over and a total of eight sixes, was not enough to secure a win for Rajasthan as they finished at 205-8. Andre Russell's unbeaten 57 off 25 balls helped Kolkata reach a competitive total of 206-4. Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, and Moeen Ali were crucial in breaking Rajasthan's momentum by taking six wickets between them. Despite a strong partnership between Parag and Shimron Hetmyer, Rajasthan's chase fell short in the final over, resulting in their ninth loss of the season.

Kolkata Knight Riders achieved a thrilling 1-run victory over Rajasthan Royals, with Andre Russell's 57 not out off 25 balls being pivotal to setting a total of 206-4. His aggressive innings included six sixes and four fours, marking his first half-century of the season.

Riyan Parag led Rajasthan's chase with an impressive 95 off 45 balls, hitting eight sixes, including five consecutive sixes in one over against Moeen Ali. Despite his efforts, Rajasthan ended at 205-8, falling just short of the target.

Kolkata's bowling attack was instrumental in stalling Rajasthan's momentum, with Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, and Moeen Ali sharing six wickets. Chakravarthy's two crucial wickets in the eighth over created a significant setback for Rajasthan.

A significant partnership between Riyan Parag and Shimron Hetmyer added 92 runs off 48 balls, reigniting hopes for Rajasthan before Hetmyer's dismissal by Harshit Rana. Parag's dismissal in the 18th over further complicated the chase.

Rajasthan Royals needed 22 runs off the final over, but despite Shubham Dubey's efforts to bring it down to three off three, his run-out on the last ball prevented the match from going to a Super Over.

Kolkata now stands sixth in the points table with five wins in 11 games, maintaining a chance to reach the playoffs, while Rajasthan remains eighth with nine losses, having already been eliminated along with Chennai Super Kings.

Early in the match, Kolkata's batting lineup faced challenges as Sunil Narine fell cheaply, but contributions from Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ajinkya Rahane stabilized the innings before Russell's explosive finish.