After leading Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to victory with a stunning 97-run knock* against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in IPL 2025, Quinton de Kock expressed his delight at making the most of his opportunity. His innings helped KKR chase 152 comfortably in Guwahati, securing their first win of the season.
De Kock, who was named Player of the Match, smashed eight fours and six sixes at a strike rate of 159.02, guiding KKR to an eight-wicket victory.
De Kock on His Performance and KKR Team Atmosphere
“Nice to get my opportunity, and I wanted to make it count. To be fair, haven’t felt any challenges yet. Had three months off, which felt nice. Had about a 10-day build-up to this season,” de Kock said in the post-match presentation.
The South African opener, playing his first IPL season with KKR, spoke highly of the team environment:
“I love meeting new people and being in new environments. It is about finding your feet within the team. Sometimes, the team accepts you later, but here, with KKR, they have accepted me already with open arms, so it feels good.”
On Guwahati Pitch and Game Strategy
De Kock also reflected on the pitch conditions at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, which played differently than some high-scoring IPL venues.
“Luckily, we batted second so I could watch the wicket, see how the ball was behaving. Just played the situation of the game. The IPL is known for big sixes and big scores, but that wasn’t the moment for me. It was just about winning it, as far as I know it.”
He described the surface as slow and tricky, requiring patience rather than power-hitting:
“Not the type of wicket for that kind of game; the ball was turning and stopping. It was a working man’s wicket. If we get an opportunity at a better wicket, then surely that will be a chat, but today it was all about getting down and winning it.”
KKR Opens IPL 2025 Account, RR Struggles Continue
With this convincing victory, KKR opened their account in IPL 2025, while Rajasthan Royals suffered their second consecutive defeat.
Brief Scores:
- Rajasthan Royals: 151/9 in 20 overs (Dhruv Jurel 33, Yashasvi Jaiswal 29, Varun Chakravarthy 2/17, Moeen Ali 2/23)
- Kolkata Knight Riders: 153/2 in 17.3 overs (Quinton de Kock 97, Angrish Raghuvanshi 22*, Wanindu Hasaranga 1/34)*
KKR will now look to carry this momentum into their next fixture, while RR must regroup quickly before facing Chennai Super Kings.