KKR vs RR Match 28 Results

2:16 PM IST The captain of Kolkata Knight Riders - Ajinkya Rahane says he is happy with the win. Adds that there were a lot of emotions in the dugout. He singles out Varun Chakaravarthy, who had been going through a difficult phase but says he has bowled well across the last three games. He is equally pleased for Rinku Singh, who he says had been dealing with a tough period mentally, and seeing him finish the game means a lot. On Anukul Roy, Rahane notes he had a fantastic domestic season and while he couldn't bowl today due to the left-handers, the way he batted was something that made him very happy. On his conversations with the players, Rahane shares that he prefers one-on-one chats and that the coaching staff has been consistently engaging with the group. Tells that the key is reading situations well and keeping the game simple. He notes that the bowlers have come into their own over the last three games, operating well in groups, and while he accepts the batting needs improvement, he feels there were plenty of positives to take from the win. On Tyagi, Rahane mentions that he has been clear about his own ability and that kind of self-awareness he has at such a young age is impressive. Adds that the pace Tyagi has been generating is remarkable and that he has been delighted to see him growing in confidence. Tells that there is always something to learn from every game and that is where cricketing awareness develops. On the batting, Rahane says there is plenty to learn and is candid about the Powerplay struggles over the last few games. He says that strike rate can be overrated and that on surfaces like this, rotating strike through singles and doubles is more important than going after big hits. He admits they made errors in the last couple of games. With five days before the next game, he says the group needs to reflect, be honest with each other and communicate clearly. He is quick to add that the atmosphere in the dressing room remains excellent.

2:14 PM IST Closing out the weekend - Kolkata Knight Riders complete the set, and all 10 teams now have at least one win on the board. Also, for now, KKR even move ahead of Mumbai Indians in the points table. Rajasthan Royals have a bit to ponder upon as this is their second loss in as many games and they will look to bounce back stronger. Let's now turn our attention to Mullanpur, where the unbeaten Punjab Kings are going up against Lucknow Super Giants in the final game of the weekend. Lucknow have elected to bowl first in that one, and you can simply switch tabs to catch our coverage of that game. Cheers!

2:13 PM IST POTM - Varun Chakaravarthy! Varun Chakaravarthy is given the award for his fine figures of 4-0-14-3. Varun starts by saying that before talking about himself, he wants to talk about the coaching staff, who shut out the outside noise and helped the players keep their focus. Adds that he didn't do anything special in this game, and it is more about the pitches and also cites that he was a bit injured in the opening few matches. Goes on to say that the wicket was a bit on the slower side and they could have batted a bit better. Further mentions that they are here to stay competitive and fight for the trophy.

2:06 PM IST Let's now quickly recap the first innings - Rajasthan Royals won the toss and Riyan Parag had no hesitation in batting first. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal started in fine fashion yet again, putting on 81 runs for the first wicket. However, once Sooryavanshi got out, it triggered a mini collapse. Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy were at their breathtaking best, picking up 5 wickets between them, and then Kartik Tyagi showed promise with a three-wicket haul himself. Barring the openers, only two more RR batters got into double digits and they simply couldn't get to a total that looked defendable.

2:03 PM IST ... The Presentation ceremony ...

2:02 PM IST The man of the moment, Rinku, has his say - Rinku Singh starts by saying that one does get a bit frustrated when the runs aren't coming by, but his mindset was to take the game deep. On his attempted reverse hit after Powell got out, he says that sometimes the brain freezes but thankfully, the catch was put down and he managed to take his team over the line. Rinku further mentions that he can bat throughout the order and whenever he gets to bat, he tries to give his best. Adds that this win will give them a lot of coonfidence as it is the first one of the season and hopes that they can build on it.