Rajasthan Royals Stun KKR in Record IPL Chase as Iyer Fined for Slow Over-Rate

Rajasthan Royals pulled off a thrilling two-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 on Tuesday, chasing down a record target of 224 runs. Jos Buttler's unbeaten century powered the Royals to the joint-highest successful run chase in IPL history, matching their own record set against Kings XI Punjab in 2020.

Kolkata Knight Riders posted a formidable total of 223/6, thanks to a maiden IPL century from Sunil Narine , who blasted 109 runs off just 56 balls. Despite the daunting target, Rajasthan Royals kept their composure, with Buttler leading the charge. The England batsman remained unbeaten on 107 off 60 balls, hitting nine fours and six sixes in his match-winning knock.

The Royals found themselves in trouble at 121 The win consolidated Rajasthan Royals' position at the top of the IPL points table with 12 points from seven matches, while Kolkata Knight Riders remained in second place with eight points.

Why this matters: The record-breaking chase showcased the incredible batting depth and resilience of the Rajasthan Royals team. It also highlighted the importance of maintaining a quick over-rate, as slow play can lead to penalties and impact the game's outcome.

However, the victory was marred by a fine imposed on Kolkata Knight Riders captain Shreyas Iyer for maintaining a slow over-rate during the match. Iyer was fined Rs 12 lakh as it was his team's first offense of the season under the IPL's Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offenses.

The match, which concluded well past the scheduled finish time due to the thrilling nature of the chase, saw Kolkata's bowlers, particularly Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, put the Royals under pressure. However, Buttler's individual brilliance proved to be the difference in the end, leaving Kolkata to rue the missed opportunity to top the points table.

Key Takeaways

• Rajasthan Royals chased down a record 224-run target to beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 2 wickets.
• Jos Buttler's unbeaten century powered the Royals to the joint-highest successful IPL run chase.
• Sunil Narine scored a maiden IPL century of 109 runs for Kolkata Knight Riders.
• Kolkata Knight Riders captain Shreyas Iyer fined Rs 12 lakh for slow over-rate.
• The win consolidated Rajasthan Royals' position at the top of the IPL points table.