Jos Buttler joined an elite group of Indian Premier League batsmen with a stunning century as Rajasthan Royals beat Kolkata Knight Riders in an enthralling seven-run win.

Buttler made a mockery of Kolkata's decision to put Rajasthan into bat, hammering a 59-ball century to power the Royals to 217-5.

It was his second hundred of the season, making him only the sixth player to score multiple centuries in a single IPL campaign.

The Knight Riders put together an excellent chase, Aaron Finch (58) and captain Shreyas Iyer (85) putting on 107 for the second wicket.

Yuzvendra Chahal (5-40) looked to have ended their hopes in the 17th over by taking four wickets, the crucial scalp of Shreyas marking the start of a hat-trick, to reduce the Knight Riders to 180-8.

An unlikely batting cameo from Umesh Yadav, who struck 21 off nine, had Kolkata in position to snatch victory, but debutant Obed McCoy removed Sheldon Jackson before bowling Yadav to clinch it for Rajasthan with two balls to spare.

Buttler at his blistering best

Having already struck 100 against Mumbai Indians, an effort followed by a further two half centuries in his last three games, Buttler has started the season in ominous form.

Kolkata were the latest side to fall victim to his destructive batting, Buttler hitting nine fours and five sixes on his way to 103.

He joins Chris Gayle (2011), Virat Kohli (2016), Hashim Amla (2017), Shane Watson (2018) and Shikhar Dhawan (2020) in scoring multiple hundreds in a season.

Chahal sparks collapse, Obed the real McCoy

There was jubilation for Rajasthan as Chahal claimed their fifth IPL hat-trick when he had Pat Cummins caught behind.

Yadav extinguished any thoughts of a procession from there, but McCoy – playing his first cricket since a right leg injury ended his involvement in West Indies' T20 World Cup campaign last October – rose to the occasion in his maiden IPL match to finish the job. The Royals are now second on eight points, two ahead of KKR.