Kolkata Knight Riders thrashed Riyan Parag’s Rajasthan Royals on their own turf in Guwahati, cruising to an eight-wicket victory and leaving the hosts struggling with net run rate concerns. Another 97*-run knock turned out to be a match-winning effort, and this time it was Quinton de Kock, the new addition to the KKR camp, following in the footsteps of Shreyas Iyer’s heroics for Punjab Kings just a day earlier. Winning the toss, KKR opted to field first, a decision that proved to be a masterstroke. Rajasthan’s batting lineup never really found its footing against KKR’s disciplined bowling attack. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 29 off 24 balls provided some hope, but his dismissal to Moeen Ali triggered a collapse. Skipper Riyan Parag showed some aggression with a quickfire 25 off 15, including three sixes, but fell to Varun Chakravarthy after Quinton de Kock pulled off a sharp diving catch behind the stumps. The only real resistance came from Dhruv Jurel, who fought his way to a gritty 33 off 28. However, in an attempt to clear the ropes, he mistimed a shot and lost his wicket, putting RR further on the back foot. Sanju Samson (13 off 11) and Nitish Rana (8 off 9) couldn’t make an impact, while Jofra Archer’s late cameo of 16 off 7 balls barely lifted Rajasthan’s total to 151/9 in 20 overs. KKR’s bowlers kept things tight, with Varun Chakravarthy shining with figures of 2/17 in his four overs. Moeen Ali and Harshit Rana also grabbed two wickets each, ensuring Rajasthan never got the momentum they needed. QDK led KKR's chase The chase was all about KKR’s intelligence and Rajasthan’s cluelessness. Quinton de Kock, making the most of his fresh start with the team, anchored the innings with a blistering 97* off 61 balls, striking at 159.01 with eight fours and six sixes. Ajinkya Rahane (18 off 14) fell to Wanindu Hasaranga, but de Kock found support in young Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who chipped in with an unbeaten 22 off 17. Rajasthan, in desperation, cycled through seven different bowlers, even bringing in Nitish Rana for an over, but nothing worked. Jofra Archer’s struggles continued as he conceded 33 runs in just 2.3 overs at a steep economy of 13.20, while Maheesh Theekshana and Hasaranga also proved expensive. With de Kock in imperious form, KKR sealed the chase in just 17.3 overs, wrapping up a dominant performance and boosting their position in the points table. Rajasthan Royals, on the other hand, will need to regroup fast as they now face an uphill battle in the tournament.