The South African opener smashed an unbeaten 97* to lead Kolkata Knight Riders to an 8-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati
Guwahati, March 27: Quinton de Kock starred with a blistering unbeaten 97* to power Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to a convincing eight-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their IPL 2025 clash at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
The South African wicketkeeper-batter was named Player of the Match for his commanding 61-ball knock, which featured eight fours and six sixes. De Kock played a calculated innings on a tricky surface, guiding KKR to their first victory of the season and helping them bounce back after their opening defeat.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, de Kock expressed satisfaction at making his opportunity count.
“Nice to get my opportunity, and I wanted to make it count. To be fair, I haven’t felt any challenges yet. I’ve had about three months off which felt nice. I had a 10-day build-up coming into this season. This was just my second game here—so I played it by reading the wicket and the game situation.”
De Kock noted that batting second helped him assess the conditions, which weren’t suited for big-hitting fireworks.
“Luckily, we batted second so I got to watch how the ball behaved. The IPL is known for big sixes and massive scores, but that wasn’t the moment for me. It was just about winning it,” he said.
He also praised the warm environment at KKR and revealed that settling into the squad had been smooth.
“I love meeting new people and being in new environments. At KKR, I’ve been welcomed with open arms. It feels great to be part of this setup,” de Kock said.
Reflecting on the pitch, he described it as a tough surface:
“Not the type of wicket for a big-hitting game—the ball was turning and holding up. It was a working man’s wicket. If we get better surfaces, the conversations might change, but today was just about doing the job.”
KKR chased down RR’s 152/9 in 17.3 overs, with de Kock anchoring the innings and finishing the match in style. Rajasthan Royals, on the other hand, suffered their second consecutive defeat in IPL 2025.