Rajasthan Royals (RR) ended up winning a nail-biting thriller in the final over to jump to second place on the points table. They defeated Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 7 runs in a high-scoring match at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.
Set a target of 218, Kolkata was flying high on the back of fifties from Aaron Finch and Shreyas Iyer. Finch scored 58 (28) and played a major role in their 107-run partnership for the second wicket.
Iyer carried on after Finch fell and the responsibility fell to him as wickets continued to tumble around him. Andre Russell for a first-ball duck but the game-changing over came in the 17th bowled by Yuzvendra Chahal.
The leggie, having conceded 17 runs in his first over, came back to take four wickets in the over, including a hattrick and the wicket of Iyer. It changed the game in their favor and Obed McCoy held his nerve in the end to grab a 7-run victory for Rajasthan.
Earlier, Jos Buttler carried on his incredible form to score his 2nd hundred of the IPL 2022 season. He was well-assisted by Sanju Samson and Shimron Hetmyer but Buttler stole the limelight once again with his 61-ball 103.
Although RR slowed down in the death overs, they managed to put up 217 on the board which proved to be a mountain too steep for KKR to climb. The 14th anniversary of the IPL ended up producing a memorable game that will go down as a classic.
Here’s how Twitter reacted to RR vs KKR:
What a #TATAIPL2022 game. So many guys played a part; Butler, Chahal, Shreyas, Finch,Obed McCoy on debut. Brilliant action. Well played everyone.
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) April 18, 2022
Brave fight by @y_umesh but the over by @yuzi_chahal helped @rajasthanroyals see this through! The heroics of @ShreyasIyer15 and @AaronFinch5 were negated by that fantastic spell! Not many bowlers can achieve what you did. Congratulations on the win #IPL2022 #RRvKKR
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) April 18, 2022
Well played @y_umesh. Having a good season with the ball and now with the bat. What a knock! Almost took @KKRiders home. #IPL
— Yusuf Pathan (@iamyusufpathan) April 18, 2022
.@KKRiders, couldn't have asked for a better game to celebrate the IPL's birthday. ?
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) April 18, 2022
What a game-changing spell by @yuzi_chahal! We've witnessed the first hat-trick of the season. Loved the pose after your hat-trick. ? #IPL #RRvKKR pic.twitter.com/K2ByMZg2ai
— Yusuf Pathan (@iamyusufpathan) April 18, 2022
Great game of cricket this. Enjoyed the tension and the drama! Brilliant season for @rajasthanroyals #RRvKKR
— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) April 18, 2022
Best game of an already ridiculously entertaining @IPL tonight. Great win for the @rajasthanroyals heartbreak for @KKRiders MoM has to be Yuzi for his bowling on such a good batting track but @josbuttler was immense. I’m out of breath!
— Graeme Swann (@Swannyg66) April 18, 2022
What a game!
Had it all. Fitting as a 14th anniversary celebration of IPL.#RRvsKKR #TataIPL— Mpumelelo Mbangwa (@mmbangwa) April 18, 2022
Win or loss you just admire tricks played by yuzi Chahal. #championbowler
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) April 18, 2022
#yuzichahal saw it all today! A very expensive first over and then a crazy last over! hatrick and five-wicket haul too. #KKRvsRR
— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh) April 18, 2022
The best match of the TATA @IPL #TATAIPL so far? Heart ❤️ stopping drama! @rajasthanroyals hold their nerve v @KKRiders in a thriller! @yuzi_chahal worth his weight in gold! @josbuttler irrepressible again! #TATAIPL
— Alan Wilkins (@alanwilkins22) April 18, 2022
Roaring hattrick for #RR by #YuzvendraChahal what a game changing over. Top class bowling? #RRvKKR #IPL2022
— Vinay Kumar R (@Vinay_Kumar_R) April 18, 2022
Hat trick ..??Guts bring Glory what a performance @yuzi_chahal. #RRvKKR #TataIPL
— S.Badrinath (@s_badrinath) April 18, 2022
I *love* that a mad high-scoring thriller has been won by a bowling-heavy side with Ashwin at No.7. Make it into a tapestry
— Ben Jones (@benjonescricket) April 18, 2022