Kolkata, India: Indian spinner Varun Chakaravarthy marked a key milestone by securing his 200th wicket in T20 cricket during the IPL 2026 encounter between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals at Eden Gardens on Sunday. This feat makes him the 20th Indian bowler and the 10th Indian spinner to reach this tally, highlighting his reliability in the format. In the game, Chakaravarthy delivered an impressive performance, claiming three wickets including those of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (46), Dhruv Jurel (5), and Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag (12). Rajasthan Royals were limited to 155/9 thanks to strong bowling from Kolkata Knight Riders. Chakaravarthy spearheaded the effort with his three wickets, supported by Kartik who also took three. Rajasthan began well with an opening stand of 63 runs from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (46) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (39) in the powerplay. However, Kolkata regained control afterward, with Chakaravarthy removing Sooryavanshi and Parag, and Sunil Narine dismissing Jaiswal. A slump in the later stages left Rajasthan with a modest score. Kolkata Knight Riders require 156 runs to claim their first victory in IPL 2026 and maintain their chances for the playoffs.
