Kolkata Knight Riders won five of their following six IPL 2026 games after losing their first six. They may still need to win both of their remaining games to make the playoffs, but this late comeback has kept their campaign alive.
It's raining
According to our man Sreshth Shah, who is in Kolkata, it has been pouring there since approximately 3:30 p.m. local time. KKR cannot afford to cancel this match.
KKR's situation
Points: 11, NRR: -0.038, Played: 12. The remaining matches are DC (h) and MI (h).
If KKR wins their next two games and RR and PBKS lose theirs, they can qualify without relying on NRR. KKR will be eliminated if RR wins, while both teams will be tied at 15 points if PBKS wins. As previously stated, KKR must defeat PBKS by a total of 72 runs (assuming scores of 200 batting first each time) if PBKS wins by 10 runs.
In the spotlight: Rickelton and Green
In addition to Allen and Raghuvanshi, KKR's improvement has also been attributed to Cameron Green. He has responded with 260 runs at a strike rate of 152.05 in his next seven innings after beginning with just 56 runs in five innings. Green has batted at No. 4 six times in his previous seven innings after batting at three different places when he was low on runs, but KKR has locked him in there. KKR will be hoping that this form lasts for two more games and shows up considerably earlier in the upcoming season.
Despite MI's dismal season, Ryan Rickelton has been one of their stars. Only three batters this season have scored at least 400 runs at an average of at least 40 and a strike rate of at least 180. With Rohit Sharma at the top, Rickelton has consistently produced attacking beginnings, and he might be one of their longer-term options as they try to rebuild before the upcoming campaign.
Pitch details
Pitch No. 4, which has only hosted one game this season—the day game versus Rajasthan Royals, where KKR successfully chased down 156—will host the contest at Eden Gardens. In total, two victories have come from batting first and two from chasing in Kolkata's four completed games this season.
Because this pitch is on the square's edge, there is a significant bias. One boundary is 59 metres, while the other is 70 metres.
Hardik saw it, but Surya hasn't yet
Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav are the focus of all of our keen eyes in Kolkata, where it is now dark. Hardik has been spotted stepping off the team bus, but Suryakumar hasn't shown up yet. The teams are warming up now that the rain has ceased.
Surya was also observed
MI is now at its peak. At Eden Gardens, Suryakumar Yadav and Rohit Sharma are also spotted. Varun Chakravarthy, who hasn't been very active throughout the warm-ups, is the centre of attention in the opposing camp.
MI requested to bat first after Hardik and Surya returned
In their crucial match against the Mumbai Indians, who were bolstered by the returns of Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, and probably Allah Ghazanfar as the Impact Player when they defend in the evening, Kolkata Knight Riders won the toss and decided to chase.
After the surface remained covered in the rainy Kolkata, KKR needed to win the toss. Despite not winning any of their first six games, KKR was still in the competition with five victories in their six games. They still needed to defeat the Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings in their final games and win their next two.
Varun Chakravarthy's availability for the match gave KKR hope. Throughout the season, he has battled a niggle. With Matheesha Pathirana out with a hamstring injury, KKR replaced him with a batter: Rovman Powell. Their sixth bowling option was Cameron Green. It was practically a given that Finn Allen would be the Impact Player.
Mumbai Indians 1 Ryan Rickelton (wk), 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Suryakumar Yadav, 4 Naman Dhir, 5 Tilak Varma, 6 Hardik Pandya (capt.), 7 Will Jacks, 8 Corbin Bosch, 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Raghu Sharma
MI bench Allah Ghazanfar, Shardul Thakur, Mayank Rawat, Robin Minz, Krish Bhagat
Kolkata Knight Riders 1 Ajinkya Rahane (capt.), 2 Angkrish Raghuvanshi (wk), 4 Cameron Green, 4 Rovman Powell, 5 Manish Pandey, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Sunil Narine, 8 Anukul Roy, 9 Varun Chakravarthy, 10 Saurabh Dubey, 11 Kartik Tyagi
KKR bench Vaibhav Arora, Finn Allen, Rahul Tripathi, Ramandeep Singh, Tejasvi Singh
Anukul Roy picks up a new ball
Despite having a left-handed hitter, Anukul Roy is starting us. For left-handed batters, the large boundary for odd overs will be on the leg side. He begins with a long-on and a deep backwards square.
With just six off, he exits the over. He tied down Ryan Rickelton for three dots after the first three balls yielded six runs.
Rickelton is early for Green
The Kolkata Knight Riders are off to a great start despite two close overs and one massive six from Rohit Sharma. The ball stands up a bit and takes a huge edge for a skier at point when Ryan Rickelton tries to go over the leg side. Manish Pandey makes another spectacular catch while keeping his eyes on the ball as it drifts away from him at the final second.
Naman Dhir, the new batter, is defeated by Green three times in a row. KKR looks for a catch near the wicket in the third one. Even so, Dhir has an advantage for a three-ball duck. A traditional Green outswinger. In three overs, MI 17 for 2.
And now for Green, a unique catch
Cameron Green simply cannot be prevented from playing tonight. Now, he has sent Rohit Sharma back with a stunning catch. obvious indications that the pitch is two-paced. Saurabh Dubey, a tall left-arm fast bowler, throws a proper slot delivery, but Rohit lofts it in the direction of deep midwicket. Green grabs this over his shoulder and lets it fall into his bucket hands after sprinting 33 metres from mid-on and avoiding a confrontation with Rovman Powell, who is running back from midwicket. In four overs, MI is 24 for 3.
Dubey increases his bounty to include Suryakumar's scalp
This is an intriguing game of cat and mouse. Suryakumar Yadav plays his favourite pick-up shot off a length ball from Saurabh Dubey for a six while standing with his rear foot on the off stump to access the leg side. In his third consecutive over during the powerplay, Dubey moves around the wicket right away, and Suryakumar follows suit. While Suryakumar searches for the cut, a hefty bottom edge completes the job. Mumbai Indians 46 for 4 in six overs, Dubey 3-0-22-2.
Additionally, indications of spin
Tilak Varma is completely at sea against Sunil Narine as he is introduced in the eighth over. Two offbreaks have spun violently, and he is not picking him from the hand. Between the slip and the keeper, one of them went for four byes. KKR may already have the game if there is dew or if the pitch calms down later.
Suddenly, it starts to rain
After it had cleared off in the evening, we suddenly received a heavy downpour at Eden Gardens. Going off the field with the Mumbai Indians 57 for 4 in eight overs was the only option.
The season of Surya
This season, Suryakumar Yadav's average is 18. At a 149 strike rate, he has amassed 210 runs.
Covers peeling off
The good news is that Eden Gardens' covers are coming off and the rain has ceased. We should return really quickly because the entire area was covered.
Play will resume at 9:15 p.m.
Thus, we have time to return to Eden Gardens. We will return to the field at 9:15 p.m. and have not lost any overs. Thus, this game will probably be diminished if there are any further disruptions after an hour.
For an over, Varun Chakravarthy limps through
Varun Chakravarthy is still recovering from a "small hairline fracture" in his foot. That is evident from the amount of discomfort he has when running quickly. With the ball, he has gotten off to a good start, giving up just four in his first. MI 61 for 4 in nine overs, and one over after the resumption, we have a calculated timeout.
Narine is unreadable for MI
Sunil Narine is getting help from the pitch, and neither hitter is plucking him from the hand. In fact, he has a short leg and a slip for Hardik Pandya. MI 64 for 4 in 10 overs; Narine is 2-0-6-0.
Varma is given a life
Tilak Varma finally tries a slog-sweep, hoping for the best, after the spinners have drained this MI innings of vitality. He soars it for what appears to be a straightforward catch for Varun Chakravarthy himself, but Angkrish Raghuvanshi, the keeper, charges at him to deter him, saving Varma's life. In the following over, he rubs it in with a six off Sunil Narine. After twelve overs, MI was 74 for 4.
Varma is removed by Tyagi
Kartik Tyagi returns to take out Tilak Varma, but KKR hasn't suffered much from the missed catch. The intriguing aspect is that he has holed out to the tiny, barely 60-meter limit. Varma is caught at deep square leg after a bold short ball from Tyagi goes huge on him. MI 84 for 5 in 13.4 overs, gone for 20 off 32.
Raghuvanshi was hurt
When Angkrish Raghuvanshi almost ran into Varun Chakravarthy during the dropped catch, it seemed that he may have injured his hand. Could the spike have struck him? Or was he struck by the ball while collecting? In any case, Tejasvi Singh is taking wickets as a substitute while Raghuvanshi is off the field.
Pandya is given to Narine
The number of times Sunil Narine has removed Hardik Pandya from the game in 53 balls. At 94ks, he bowled him with a crisp offbreak after eventually overcoming his inside edge. They have not been reading him at all. MI 95 for 6 in 15.23 overs, gone for 26 off 27.
Narine 4-01-13-1
1 W 0 0 0 0
Corbin Bosch is at sea against Sunil Narine in that final over. He now has a season economy rate of 6.49 per over.
Jacks exhausts himself
Will Jacks may have hit the big side with this cover drive, but he hit deep cover instead. Corbin Bosch has sent him back because he wants the second. Bosch made the right decision, but maybe he ought to have given his life. In 16.4 overs, it is 105 for 7.
Despite having an ailment, Varun is finished with numbers of 4-0-28-0. Finn Allen will shortly be replaced by him. Maybe right away. Indeed, he has left. The Impact Player is Allenn.
Bosch's appearance pushes MI to 147
The final two overs are those. Will Jacks' run-out has been somewhat compensated for by Corbin Bosch's 32 off 18, but MI still needs to put in a lot of effort if they want to win. Despite the fact that this is a difficult pitch, KKR will support itself to pursue it.
Will Jacks may have hit the big side with this cover drive, but he hit deep cover instead. Corbin Bosch has sent him back because he wants the second. Bosch made the right decision, but maybe he ought to have given his life. In 16.4 overs, it is 105 for 7.
Despite having an ailment, Varun is finished with numbers of 4-0-28-0. Finn Allen will shortly be replaced by him. Maybe right away. Indeed, he has left. The Impact Player is Allenn.
Bosch's appearance pushes MI to 147
The final two overs are those. Will Jacks' run-out has been somewhat compensated for by Corbin Bosch's 32 off 18, but MI still needs to put in a lot of effort if they want to win. Despite the fact that this is a difficult pitch, KKR will support itself to pursue it.
Ramandeep is Raghuvanshi's concussion substitute
It turns out that Angkrish Raghuvanshi had a concussion, most likely as a result of almost diving into Varun Chakravarthy when they both went for the same catch. He can now be replaced as the concussion substitute by Ramandeep Singh. KKR's Impact Player is Finn Allen. Allah Ghazanfar is MI's Impact Player.
On 147, Chahar scores Allen early in defence
1 0 4 4 0 1w W
Finn Allen ends up playing on the final ball of the first over after making a dangerous start with two square-driven boundaries on the rise. KKR ten for one.
Bumrah sketches leaves
The number of balls that Manish Pandey and Ajinkya Rahane left unattended during Jasprit Bumrah's second over. 12 for 1 in two overs for KKR
Concussion-related uncertainty
We reported what the broadcast told us. That Ramandeep Singh was authorised to fill in for Angkrish Raghuvanshi due to a concussion, but we are now learning that this may not be the case. We must await the confirmation.
Bumrah versus Rahane
Jasprit Bumrah has removed Ajinkya Rahane from the game 0 times in 55 balls.
Bumrah versus Pandey
Jasprit Bumrah has taken Manish Pandey's wicket 0 times in 47 deliveries.
Not taking place for Bumrah
4 1 4 1 0 4
Jasprit Bumrah bowled the fourth over. Manish Pandey and Ajinkya Rahane both struck boundaries. In four overs, it is 31 for 1.
Rahane is acquired by Bosch
Ajinkya Rahane's timely wicket in the first over of the power play saved the Mumbai Indians, who were on the verge of losing. Corbin Bosch finally gets the proper length, traps Ajinkya Rahane on the crease, and gets the outside edge with some motion off the pitch after going for nine off the first three balls. 21 out of 17 are gone. In 5.4 overs, it is 48 for 2.
Bosch also has Green
One of the flithier balls to take a wicket is this one. Cameron Green finds the fielder flawlessly on a long, well-down leg; all you have to do is hit it over the tiny long leg boundary. KKR 54 for 3 in 7.1 overs, out for 4 off 8.
Nothing is going well for MI
Hardik Pandya draws a top edge on the hook from Rovman Powell in the tenth over, but Deepak Chahar leaves it for Deepak Minz at deep square leg. It was Chahar's grab, but Minz's charge towards him certainly distracted him, possibly so he would be present in case a rebound needed to be taken.
When Powell returns to cut Raghu Sharma in the eleventh over, Corbin Bosch at slip goes to his right, but the edge is fine, and he is beaten on the left. In 11 overs, it is 92 for 3.
For the first time, Bumrah receives Pandey
49. It took Jasprit Bumrah a lot of balls to eventually get rid of Manish Pandey, but he did it with such perfection. He can blast through the space between bat and pad with a 15-over old ball that seams in like a fast off cutter. KKR needs 30 off 30. Pandey went for 45 off 33.
Bosch currently adopts a stunning
Another unexpected wicket involving Corbin Bosch's hand. Rovman Powell cuts a short ball away shortly after hitting Allah Ghazanfar for a six over long-on, and Bosch utilises all of his height to fly to his right at backwards point. They are currently five down and need to score 24 out of 28.
The concussion substitute is Tejasvi Dahiya
It appears that Tejasvi Singh Dahiya will replace Ramandeep Singh, who was reportedly padded up earlier. The KKR official handle even tweeted that Ramandeep had been permitted as the concussion substitute.
Sreshth Shah's background is brief.
Delhi wicketkeeper Tejasvi Dahiya, the son of math and economics teachers, was acquired by the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2026 for INR 3 crore after going unsold in the IPL 2025 auctions. After a bidding war between the Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals, he was ten times his base price of INR 30 lakh. His achievements in the Delhi Premier League in 2025, when he ended as the second-highest six-hitter in the competition and scored 339 runs at a strike-rate of around 200, led to the agreement. In the run-up to the IPL 2026 auctions, he had tried out for seven teams.
MI is still alive
Bosch, Corbin. The ball travels down the leg. Chahar Deepak. Amazing catch. Tonight, these words have been used a lot. You might not see them again after this. Ryan Rickelton should go for git, but Deepak Chahar doesn't see him coming and flees from fine leg. Tejasvi Dahiya sees one down leg, overcooks the flip, and takes a leading edge. Incredibly, Rickelton manages to hold onto the catch despite nearly colliding head-on, avoiding serious injury, and escaping with only a fleeting strike to Chahar's knee. They still require eight out of thirteen.
KKR. Remaining alive
With seven balls remaining and four wickets in hand, the Kolkata Knight Riders had persevered through. After losing their first six games, KKR has now won six of their past seven. They must now defeat DC in their final game, but if PBKS wins the night before KKR's final game, they must do it in a way that surpasses Punjab Kings' net run rate. And if the Rajasthan Royals win their final game, that might still not be sufficient.
Having said all of that, this has been quite the comeback for a poorly constructed team. Their economical bowlers are dragging them across the line instead of hitting sixes. This was the first time they had taken more than two wickets during the powerplay, even with the ball. And yet here they are. The dream endures.
And we bid you a heartfelt farewell. only to return shortly for another IPL game.
It turns out that Angkrish Raghuvanshi had a concussion, most likely as a result of almost diving into Varun Chakravarthy when they both went for the same catch. He can now be replaced as the concussion substitute by Ramandeep Singh. KKR's Impact Player is Finn Allen. Allah Ghazanfar is MI's Impact Player.
On 147, Chahar scores Allen early in defence
1 0 4 4 0 1w W
Finn Allen ends up playing on the final ball of the first over after making a dangerous start with two square-driven boundaries on the rise. KKR ten for one.
Bumrah sketches leaves
The number of balls that Manish Pandey and Ajinkya Rahane left unattended during Jasprit Bumrah's second over. 12 for 1 in two overs for KKR
Concussion-related uncertainty
We reported what the broadcast told us. That Ramandeep Singh was authorised to fill in for Angkrish Raghuvanshi due to a concussion, but we are now learning that this may not be the case. We must await the confirmation.
Bumrah versus Rahane
Jasprit Bumrah has removed Ajinkya Rahane from the game 0 times in 55 balls.
Bumrah versus Pandey
Jasprit Bumrah has taken Manish Pandey's wicket 0 times in 47 deliveries.
Not taking place for Bumrah
4 1 4 1 0 4
Jasprit Bumrah bowled the fourth over. Manish Pandey and Ajinkya Rahane both struck boundaries. In four overs, it is 31 for 1.
Rahane is acquired by Bosch
Ajinkya Rahane's timely wicket in the first over of the power play saved the Mumbai Indians, who were on the verge of losing. Corbin Bosch finally gets the proper length, traps Ajinkya Rahane on the crease, and gets the outside edge with some motion off the pitch after going for nine off the first three balls. 21 out of 17 are gone. In 5.4 overs, it is 48 for 2.
Bosch also has Green
One of the flithier balls to take a wicket is this one. Cameron Green finds the fielder flawlessly on a long, well-down leg; all you have to do is hit it over the tiny long leg boundary. KKR 54 for 3 in 7.1 overs, out for 4 off 8.
Nothing is going well for MI
Hardik Pandya draws a top edge on the hook from Rovman Powell in the tenth over, but Deepak Chahar leaves it for Deepak Minz at deep square leg. It was Chahar's grab, but Minz's charge towards him certainly distracted him, possibly so he would be present in case a rebound needed to be taken.
When Powell returns to cut Raghu Sharma in the eleventh over, Corbin Bosch at slip goes to his right, but the edge is fine, and he is beaten on the left. In 11 overs, it is 92 for 3.
For the first time, Bumrah receives Pandey
49. It took Jasprit Bumrah a lot of balls to eventually get rid of Manish Pandey, but he did it with such perfection. He can blast through the space between bat and pad with a 15-over old ball that seams in like a fast off cutter. KKR needs 30 off 30. Pandey went for 45 off 33.
Bosch currently adopts a stunning
Another unexpected wicket involving Corbin Bosch's hand. Rovman Powell cuts a short ball away shortly after hitting Allah Ghazanfar for a six over long-on, and Bosch utilises all of his height to fly to his right at backwards point. They are currently five down and need to score 24 out of 28.
The concussion substitute is Tejasvi Dahiya
It appears that Tejasvi Singh Dahiya will replace Ramandeep Singh, who was reportedly padded up earlier. The KKR official handle even tweeted that Ramandeep had been permitted as the concussion substitute.
Sreshth Shah's background is brief.
Delhi wicketkeeper Tejasvi Dahiya, the son of math and economics teachers, was acquired by the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2026 for INR 3 crore after going unsold in the IPL 2025 auctions. After a bidding war between the Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals, he was ten times his base price of INR 30 lakh. His achievements in the Delhi Premier League in 2025, when he ended as the second-highest six-hitter in the competition and scored 339 runs at a strike-rate of around 200, led to the agreement. In the run-up to the IPL 2026 auctions, he had tried out for seven teams.
MI is still alive
Bosch, Corbin. The ball travels down the leg. Chahar Deepak. Amazing catch. Tonight, these words have been used a lot. You might not see them again after this. Ryan Rickelton should go for git, but Deepak Chahar doesn't see him coming and flees from fine leg. Tejasvi Dahiya sees one down leg, overcooks the flip, and takes a leading edge. Incredibly, Rickelton manages to hold onto the catch despite nearly colliding head-on, avoiding serious injury, and escaping with only a fleeting strike to Chahar's knee. They still require eight out of thirteen.
KKR. Remaining alive
With seven balls remaining and four wickets in hand, the Kolkata Knight Riders had persevered through. After losing their first six games, KKR has now won six of their past seven. They must now defeat DC in their final game, but if PBKS wins the night before KKR's final game, they must do it in a way that surpasses Punjab Kings' net run rate. And if the Rajasthan Royals win their final game, that might still not be sufficient.
Having said all of that, this has been quite the comeback for a poorly constructed team. Their economical bowlers are dragging them across the line instead of hitting sixes. This was the first time they had taken more than two wickets during the powerplay, even with the ball. And yet here they are. The dream endures.
And we bid you a heartfelt farewell. only to return shortly for another IPL game.
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