Jos Buttler's heroics power Rajasthan Royals to victory over Kolkata Knight Riders

Buttler's century and Chahal's three wickets guide Royals to a comprehensive win

The Rajasthan Royals defeated the Kolkata Knight Riders by seven runs in a high-scoring clash in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Monday. Jos Buttler starred for the Royals with a blistering century, while Yuzvendra Chahal took three wickets to restrict the Knight Riders' chase.

Buttler was in scintillating form from the outset, hitting boundaries at will and racing to his fifty in just 24 balls. He continued to punish the Knight Riders' bowlers, reaching his century in just 60 deliveries.

Buttler's innings helped the Royals post a mammoth total of 217/5 in their allotted 20 overs. Sanju Samson and Shimron Hetmyer also made significant contributions with scores of 38 and 27 respectively.

The Knight Riders began their chase brightly, with Venkatesh Iyer and Ajinkya Rahane putting on a 50-run partnership for the first wicket. However, the introduction of Chahal into the attack proved to be a turning point in the match.

Chahal dismissed Iyer, Rahane and Nitish Rana in quick succession to leave the Knight Riders reeling at 73/3. Andre Russell and Rinku Singh attempted to revive the chase with a 66-run partnership, but both batsmen fell in quick succession.

With the asking rate climbing, the Knight Riders' hopes of victory began to fade. They eventually fell short by seven runs, with Chahal finishing with figures of 3/28.

The victory was the Royals' fourth of the season, and it moved them up to second place in the IPL standings. The Knight Riders, meanwhile, remain in seventh place with just two wins from their first six matches.

Buttler was named the Man of the Match for his brilliant century. He said after the match, "I'm really happy with my performance today. I felt like I was hitting the ball well from the outset, and I'm glad that I was able to contribute to the team's victory.".