KKR remain winless in IPL 2026 with defeat against LSG
What's the story
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) lost against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) despite being on the driver's seat in Match 15 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. The match took place at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday. Chasing 182 runs to win, LSG were 128/7 after 16 overs. However, uncapped Mukul Choudhary blasted an unbeaten fifty as LSG won off the final ball. After 4 matches, KKR are still winless this season and look clueless under Ajinkya Rahane.
Match details
Raghuvanshi, Rahane steady KKR after Finn Allen's dismissal
KKR were asked to bat first, KKR began cautiously with Mohammed Shami's tight bowling in the opening over. Finn Allen was the first to go, dismissed for nine off eight balls by Prince Yadav. The wicket was caught at third man by Digvesh Rathi. However, Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi steadied the innings after this early setback with their careful yet aggressive batting style.
Batting performance
Captain Rahane departs in the middle overs
Rahane and Raghuvanshi built a solid partnership, scoring 84 runs together. They were careful against spinner Digvesh Rathi but scored freely off other bowlers. Their efforts took KKR to a comfortable position at the halfway mark of their innings. However, their partnership was broken in the 11th over when Rathi dismissed Rahane for a quickfire 41 off 24 balls with four fours and two sixes.
Middle-order challenges
Powell accelerates in the death overs
After the dismissal of Rahane, Manimaran Siddharth removed Raghuvanshi for 45 off 33 balls. KKR then went through a quiet phase with Rinku Singh being dismissed cheaply in the 14th over by Avesh Khan. Cameron Green took time to settle as Lucknow's spinners kept scoring in check. However, Rovman Powell broke the drought in the 16th over hitting Siddharth for a six and a four.
Final push
How did the rest of the innings pan out?
Powell accelerated in the final overs of the innings, remaining unbeaten on 39 off 24 balls with four boundaries and two sixes. Green also found some rhythm toward the end and remained not out on 32 off 24 balls. Their efforts helped KKR cross the 180-mark, finishing at a respectable score of 181/4 in their allotted overs. For LSG, Prince Yadav, Avesh, Rathi and Siddharth picked up one wicket each.
Duo
Key numbers for Rahane and Raghuvanshi
Rahane's 41 had four fours and two sixes. Playing his 202nd IPL match, Rahane raced to 5,156 runs from 187 innings at 30.69. For KKR, he has scored 647 runs from 24 matches at 30.80, as per ESPNcricinfo. Overall in T20s, Rahane owns 7,757 runs from 298 games (281 innings) at 30.66. Raghuvanshi hit five fours and 2 sixes in his 45. In 26 IPL matches (22 innings), he owns 618 runs at 32.52. This season, he has 155 runs from 4 matches at 51.66.
Rinku
Rinku continues to struggle
KKR were 105/3 when Rinku arrived in the 12th over. There was ample time for him to build his innings and push for runs at the death. However, the southpaw lasted just 7 balls and scored 4 runs (SR: 57.14). In KKR's IPL 2026 opener against Mumbai Indians, Rinku scored 33* from 21 balls. Versus Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rinku managed a 25-ball 35 in a chase of 227 (SR: 140). Since a superb IPL 2023 season where he smashed 474 runs at 59.25, Rinku has struggled for consistency.
Powell
Powell and Green's T20 numbers at a glance
Powell's 39* was laced with four fours and two sixes. With this effort, he raced to 5,983 T20 runs from 330 matches (296 innings) at 25.56. He is closing in on 400 sixes (396). Green recovered to clock a 24-ball 32*. He hit a six and three fours. Green surpassed 1,500 T20 runs. He now owns 1,507 runs from 74 matches (64 innings) at 30.75.
Do you know?
Prince races to 5 wickets in IPL 2026
Prince, who finished with 1/47 from his 4 overs, now owns 5 scalps from three IPL matches in 2026 at 20.20. His economy rate is on the higher side (9.18).
Chase
How did LSG's chase pan out?
LSG were off to a decent start before KKR hit back with two quick wickets. Vaibhav Arora dismissed both openers. Ayush Badoni then led LSG's recovery with a fine fifty. But in between, KKR got wickets of Rishabh Pant, Nicholas Pooran and Abdul Samad. LSG were struggling at 128/7 after 16 overs. It was Mukul who hurt KKR at the death as he hit sixes for fun and won the game for his side.
Markram
Aiden Markram completes 1,500 runs in IPL
LSG's Aiden Markram completed 1,500 runs in the IPL. The Proteas stalwart reached the landmark with his fourth run of the match. Chasing 182 runs, Markram (22 off 15) started watchfully before he attacked Navdeep Saini for a four, six and another four off consecutive balls in the 3rd over. However, Markram didn't last long as Vaibhav Arora dismissed him in the 5th over. Across 60 matches, he owns 1,518 IPL runs at 30.97 (SR 136.02). His tally includes 10 half-centuries.
Information
Pant averages 23.23 against KKR
LSG captain Pant fell for 9 runs in this contest. Green dismissed the southpaw, reducing LSG to 73/3. From 18 games against KKR, Pant owns 395 runs at 23.23. He has hit a solitary fifty against the Knights.
Pooran
Pooran's struggles in IPL 2026
Pooran continued his horrid run of form in the 2026 IPL season. The southpaw perished for a knock of 13 off 15 balls. In LSG's IPL 2026 opener against Delhi Capitals, Pooran scored 8 runs off 8 balls. In the next encounter against Sunrisers Hyderabad, he managed a four-ball 1. And now against KKR, he perished for 13 runs. Overall this season, Pooran has managed 22 runs from three matches at 7.33. His strike rate is a disappointing 81.48. He has hit one four and a six.
Badoni
Badoni surpasses 1,000 runs in IPL
Badoni slammed a 34-ball 54. He struck two sixes and 7 fours. With this effort, he now owns 1,029 runs in the IPL at 26.38 from 59 matches (49 innings). He smashed his 7th fifty. Versus KKR, he has hit 138 runs from six matches at 34.50 (50s: 1). Overall in T20s, he has amassed 1,854 runs from 99 matches (82 innings). He hit his 11th T20 fifty.
Mukul
Mukul steals a win from KKR's jaws
Mukul was the difference maker. From nowhere, he stepped up and delivered. He started slowly and then with LSG having nothing to lose, the number 7 batter took his chance in the death overs. Vaibhav was punished alongside Green and Tyagi as KKR failed to control his shot-making. He smashed 7 sixes and two fours in a 27-ball 54*.
Do you know?
Massive feats for Mukul
As per Cricbuzz, the seven sixes by Mukul is the most by a LSG batter while batting at No. 7 or below. Meanwhile, the 54* runs added between Mukul and Avesh is the highest for the 8th wicket or lower in a successful run chase.
Information
Narine gets to 200 T20 wickets on Indian soil
KKR's Sunil Narine was sensational. He picked 1/13 from his 4 overs. Narine, who now owns 615 T20 scalps, completed 200 scalps on Indian soil from 183 matches. Meanwhile, he has picked 194 IPL scalps, including 73 at Eden Gardens.
H2H and summary
KKR vs LSG: H2H record and IPL 2026 points summary
In terms of the head-to-head record, KKR suffered their 5th defeat against LSG from 7 matches (W2). At Eden Gardens, LSG have claimed three wins from 4 clashes. In terms of the 2026 points table in IPL, KKR find themselves winless after 4 games (L3 NR1). KKR are ninth with their NRR being -1.315. LSG moved to 5th with two wins from three games (L1).