The Indian Premier League (IPL) has witnessed numerous thrilling encounters, but few rivalries match the intensity of Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders Timeline. Now, let’s look at historical overview as well as significant moments and scores, analysing the progress of this stunning rivalry.
Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders Timeline: Overview
| Statistic | Value |
| Total Matches | 35 |
| RR Wins | 15 |
| KKR Wins | 18 |
| No Result | 2 |
| Highest Score (RR) | 224 |
| Highest Score (KKR) | 223 |
| Lowest Score (RR) | 125 |
| Lowest Score (KKR) | 81 |
The Beginning: 2008-2010
The RR vs KKR rivalry kicked off in the inaugural IPL season of 2008. In their first meeting on 30-April-2008 at Jaipur, RR emerged winners by 45 runs. RR further extended their successful run, and emerged victorious on May 19, 2008, by 6 wickets in Kolkata.
This twist came in the 2009 season. Notably, one of the most thrilling matches was played on April 22, 2009, in Cape Town where RR won through a Super Over. However, KKR came back into the game on March 19, 2009 when they won by 4 wickets in Durban.
As for the two teams, 2010 proved to be a year of ups and downs. RR won the match on 19 th march with a handsome margin of 34 runs in Ahmedabad. KKR came back on 16th April by defeating RR with 8 wickets in hand at Kolkata.
The Middle Years: 2011-2015
| Year | Date | Winner | Margin | Venue |
| 2011 | April 14 | KKR | 9 wickets | Jaipur |
| 2011 | April 16 | KKR | 8 wickets | Kolkata |
| 2012 | April 7 | RR | 22 runs | Jaipur |
| 2012 | April 12 | KKR | 5 wickets | Kolkata |
| 2013 | April 7 | RR | 19 runs | Jaipur |
| 2013 | May 2 | KKR | 8 wickets | Kolkata |
| 2014 | April 28 | RR | Super Over (Boundary Count) | Abu Dhabi |
| 2014 | May 4 | RR | 10 runs | Ahmedabad |
| 2015 | April 25 | No Result | Match Abandoned | Kolkata |
| 2015 | May 15 | RR | 9 runs | Mumbai |
Recent Years: 2018-2025
- The rivalry heated up in 2018 with four encounters. KKR dominated, winning three out of four matches. These they achieved on April 18 by seven wickets, on May 15 by six wickets, and on May 23 by 25 runs. For RR, the only victory came on May 15 in a 6-wicket victory.
- The teams equally shared the year 2019. Kolkata Knight Riders emerged victorious on April 7 in Jaipur by 8 wickets, whereas Rajasthan Royals triumphed on April 25 in Kolkata by 3 wickets. The see-saw battle remained entertaining to cricket lovers.
- The COVID-19 induced 2020 season that took place in the UAE benefited KKR. They triumphed in both the games – by 37 runs on September 30 and by 60 runs on November 1, both in Dubai. This was a strong phase for KKR in the competition.
- 2021 brought mixed results. In the first meeting on April 24 in Mumbai, RR emerged victorious by 6 wickets whereas KKR bounced back strongly and defeated RR by 86 runs on October 7 in Sharjah. The battle continued to be as unpredictable as before.
- Especially in the 2022 season, RR reigned supreme. They won by 7 runs on April 18 in Mumbai as well. But KKR won the match with 7 wickets on hand in the second match also played at Mumbai on May 2. The fact that it was on a neutral ground introduced an added twist to their confrontations.
- 2023 witnessed RR’s continued success with a 9-wicket victory on May 11 in Kolkata. This win showcased RR’s growing confidence against their rivals.
- The most recent encounter on April 17, 2024, saw RR clinch a thrilling 2-wicket victory in Kolkata, further solidifying their recent dominance in this matchup.
- The 1-Run Thriller: In Match 53 (May 2025), KKR achieved a score of 206 runs while losing 4 wickets because of an Andre Russell batting display. The Royal Challengers suffered a defeat after Riyan Parag scored 95 runs which brought their total within one run of victory.
- West Bengal Derby: Maharashtra’s well-known warrior Rahane moved to KKR very late in his career. The squad won this top one by 8 wickets.
Key Player Performances
Over the years, several players have left their mark on this rivalry:
Batting Prowess:
- Sanju Samson of RR ranks highest in terms of runs scored with 400 against KKR.
- Dinesh Karthik of KKR has scored 272 runs in these match-ups.
- RR wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler has scored two hundred against KKR; no player has achieved this feat so far.
- For KKR against RR, the record of highest individual score is held by Sunil Narine, with 109 runs.
- Riyan Parag (RR) Delivered an extraordinary yet tragic performance by scoring 95 runs from 45 deliveries at Eden Gardens. The historic 6 sixes in an over (5 on the bounce off Moeen Ali) marked his first achievement in IPL history as the first player to reach this milestone.
- Andre Russell (KKR) used his powerful 57 runs which he hit on 25 balls to prove his doubters wrong at Eden Gardens. He struck 6 sixes and 4 boundaries to propel KKR to a winning total of 206.
Bowling Brilliance:
- Sunil Narine of KKR has been the most successful bowler in IPL 7 with 14 wickets to his name.
- RR’s spinner Yuzvendra Chahal is not far behind with 10 wickets.
- The best bowling figures in this fixture have been recorded by Kuldeep Yadav with 4/20 for KKR.
- Chahal has bowled 5/40 which is the best bowling figure against KKR for the RR team.
- In 2025 IPL Varun Chakravarthy as KKR’s top bowler who achieved 2/17 in Guwahati and 2/32 at Eden Gardens.
- Vaibhav Arora (KKR) achieved victory by protecting 22 runs during the last over at Eden Gardens when he allowed 21 runs but executed a final-ball yorker to secure a 1-run win.
Venue Analysis
| Statistic | KKR | RR |
|---|---|---|
| Matches played at Eden Gardens | 12 | 12 |
| Wins at Eden Gardens | 7 | 4 |
| Highest score | 223/8 (2024) | 224/8 (2024) |
| Lowest score | 148/7 (2014) | 81 all out (2011) |
| Lowest defended total | 169/7 (2018) | 150 (2023 – Chased by RR) |
| Overall record at Eden Gardens | 55 wins out of 94 matches (by all Oppenents) | 4 wins out of 12 matches(by all Oppenents) |
Recent Trends
In the last five encounters:In the last five encounters:
- RR has especially triumphed, clinching 4 games.
- KKR has been able to secure only 1 win.
- This recent trend depicts the reverse of the earlier trend where KKR was more predominant than RR.
- Now Ajinkya Rahane is leading KKR and Riyan Parag captaining RR in 2026 IPL
Conclusion
The Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders Timeline have had its fair share of streaks of success and failures, close shaves and spectacular performances in the IPL. This clash has had it all from nail-biting Super Over encounters to dominating wins. In the subsequent confrontations, fans should look forward to a continuation of this thrilling story.
FAQs
Ans: 35 times.
Ans: It’s tied at 14 wins each.
Ans: 224 by Rajasthan Royals.
Ans: Sanju Samson with 413 runs.
Ans: 9 times.
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