Moeen Ali expressed his excitement after teaming up with Varun Chakravarthy as the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) secured their first win in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, defeating the Rajasthan Royals (RR) by eight wickets on Wednesday at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati.
While Moeen didn’t have the best day with the bat, scoring just five runs off 12 balls before being run out, he excelled with the ball. He took two crucial wickets, dismissing both Yashasvi Jaiswal and Nitish Rana, with impressive bowling figures of 2 for 23 in his four overs.
Moeen praised Varun for his significant development over the past few years. Although Quinton de Kock was named Player of the Match with his impressive score of 97 not out off 61 balls, Varun’s contribution of 2 wickets for just 17 runs also stood out.
In the post-match press conference, Moeen shared his thoughts, saying, “I usually bowl alongside someone who’s more skilled and unpredictable than I am. My job is to apply pressure on the batters, allowing him to take the wickets. Varun has been bowling exceptionally well and has really improved over the last couple of years. It’s amazing to share the bowling attack with someone like him.”
Moeen also commended Quinton de Kock for his experience, which was vital in helping KKR achieve their target of 152 runs with 15 balls to spare. “Quinton is an incredible player who has been in the game for so long. Although I didn’t get much time at the crease, he made the bowling look easier. His experience really shines through, making a noticeable impact on the game. I hope he continues to score runs for us,” Moeen added.
Currently sitting sixth in the standings with a net run rate of -0.308, the Knight Riders are set to face the five-time champions Mumbai Indians on March 31.
