Lucknow Super Giants Triumph Over Kolkata Knight Riders in Nail-Biting Finish
Thrilling Victory for Lucknow Super Giants
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], April 9: In a gripping encounter at Eden Gardens, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) secured a thrilling three-wicket victory against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Thursday. Chasing a target of 182 runs, LSG achieved their second win of the IPL 2026 season, thanks to impressive half-centuries from Ayush Badoni and Mukul Choudhary.
The chase began poorly for LSG as KKR's Vaibhav Arora made early breakthroughs, dismissing Mitchell Marsh (15) and Aiden Markram (22) during the powerplay. Captain Rishabh Pant managed only 10 runs before being dismissed by Cameron Green, leaving LSG struggling at 73/3 by the ninth over.
Ayush Badoni then steadied the innings with a composed 54 runs off 34 balls, featuring seven fours and two sixes. This innings marked a significant milestone for Badoni, as he became the third player to reach 1,000 career IPL runs for LSG. Despite the tight bowling from KKR spinners Sunil Narine and Anukul Roy, Badoni kept the scoreboard moving.
However, after Badoni's dismissal by Anukul in the 15th over, LSG found themselves in a precarious position at 125/6. It was then that Mukul Choudhary emerged as the hero of the match.
Choudhary played a sensational innings, scoring an unbeaten 54 runs off just 27 balls, including seven massive sixes. With 14 runs needed off the final over bowled by Vaibhav Arora, Choudhary's explosive finishing helped LSG clinch the victory with three wickets remaining, showcasing his ability to deliver under pressure.
For KKR, Anukul Roy (2/32) and Vaibhav Arora (2/38) were the standout bowlers, but their efforts were overshadowed by Choudhary's remarkable performance.
Earlier in the match, KKR set a competitive total of 181/4 in their 20 overs. After winning the toss, LSG opted to field first on a pitch that was expected to assist both pace and spin as the match progressed. KKR's innings featured early contributions, but they struggled to maintain momentum due to regular wickets.
LSG struck early, with Prince Yadav dismissing opener Finn Allen for just 9 runs in the second over. However, KKR's captain Ajinkya Rahane (41 off 24) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (45 off 33) countered effectively, guiding KKR to 56/1 in the Powerplay.
The pair looked poised to dominate, particularly after Rahane hit Avesh Khan for 16 runs in the sixth over, including a towering six.
The match shifted when LSG's spin duo, Digvesh Singh Rathi and Manimaran Siddharth, were introduced. Rathi broke the dangerous 84-run partnership by dismissing Rahane, who mistimed a pull shot to Mohammed Shami in the 11th over.
This partnership was KKR's second-highest against LSG for any wicket, following a 120-run stand by Shreyas Iyer and Salt at the same venue in 2024.
In the next over, Raghuvanshi fell to Siddharth, and Avesh Khan clean bowled Rinku Singh (4) with a sharp delivery that hit the top of the off-stump.
After 15 overs, KKR was at 115/4, with LSG bowlers maintaining a disciplined approach to control the run rate.
However, Rovman Powell (39* off 24) and Cameron Green (32* off 24) provided a late surge, adding crucial runs in the death overs to push KKR's total past 180.
Mohammed Shami was the most economical bowler for LSG, conceding only 27 runs in his four overs, while Siddharth, Rathi, Avesh, and Prince Yadav each took one wicket.
Brief Scores: Kolkata Knight Riders 181/4 in 20 overs (Ajinkya Rahane 41, Angkrish Raghuvanshi 45, Rovman Powell 39*; Manimaran Siddharth 1/34) lost to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) 182/7 in 20 overs (Mukul Choudhary 54*, Ayush Badoni 54; Anukul Roy 2/32, Vaibhav Arora 2/38) by 3 wickets.