RR’s move to send Wanindu Hasaranga at no.5 drew flak from fans on social media.
Rajasthan Royals were put into bat by Kolkata Knight Riders in the sixth match of the 2025 Indian Premier League, and things took a turn for a bad in the initial overs when Sanju Samson was dismissed early, and Riyan Parag, the stand-in captain, could not capitalize, falling for 25 to Varun Chakravarthy in the eighth over. Yashasvi Jaiswal followed soon after, as RR found themselves at 69/3 in the 8.4 overs.
Rajasthan Royals’ Wanindu Hasaranga walks back to the pavilion after losing his wicket, caught out by Kolkata Knight Riders’ Ajinkya Rahane(REUTERS)
With Dhruv Jurel and Shimron Hetmyer still to come, RR took an unexpected decision by promoting Wanindu Hasaranga to No. 5, ahead of their regular finishers. The Sri Lankan all-rounder, playing his first IPL game of the season, was tasked with attacking the spinners.
KKR’s spinners, Chakravarthy and Moeen Ali, were in the attack, and RR’s strategy was clear: to avoid having two left-handed batters at the crease at once and to protect their best hitters, including Hetmyer. Hasaranga’s ability to strike spinners, with a T20 strike rate of 152 against them, seemed like the RR’s answer to take on KKR’s spin duo.
However, the move backfired. Hasaranga was dismissed for a mere four off four balls after attempting a slog off Chakravarthy, failing to execute the plan. Despite the setback, Rajasthan might feel that the promotion didn’t cost them much, as it took four balls away from the spinners’ quota, disrupting KKR’s rhythm.
The move was severely criticised by the fans:
It left a lot of questions about the timing and logic behind sending Hasaranga up the order when better options like Jurel were available.
Royals restricted to 151/9
KKR’s spin duo of Varun Chakravarthy and Moeen Ali worked in perfect tandem to weave their magic, as a disciplined bowling effort restricted Rajasthan Royals to a below-par 151/9 in their IPL clash here on Wednesday.
On a dry and sticky Barsapara pitch where the ball wasn’t coming onto the bat, KKR’s new spin combination — brought together due to Sunil Narine’s injury — proved to be their game-changer.
Chakravarthy and Ali dismantled the Royals’ middle order, picking up two wickets each in successive overs right after the powerplay, shifting the momentum in KKR’s favour.
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