IPL 2026: KKR Stay Alive in Playoff Race as Powell, Manish Sink MI at Eden Gardens
Fine knocks from Rovman Powell and Manish Pandey helped Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) keep their playoff hopes alive, defeating Mumbai Indians (MI) by four wickets at Eden Gardens on Thursday.
With this win, their sixth in the previous seven games, KKR keep their playoff dream alive and kicking. With six wins and losses each and a no result, KKR is at the sixth place in the points table. While MI is at the ninth spot with four wins and nine losses.
During a chase of 148 runs, Finn Allen started with two fours against Deepak Chahar, but was removed in the same over for eight in five balls, with two fours. KKR was 10/1 in one over.
Skipper Ajinkya Rahane and Manish Pandey joined forces, batting with caution till the fourth over, where the duo looted 14 runs off Jasprit Bumrah, with three fours.
Rahane and Manish's 38-run stand was ended by Corbin Bosch, who removed the KKR skipper for 21 in 17 balls, with four boundaries. Bosch also removed Cameron Green for just four in the same over, reducing KKR to 54/3 in 7.1 overs.
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Manish (32*) and Rovman Powell (15*) took KKR to 84/3 in 10 overs.
With a four behind backward point by Manish, KKR reached the 100-run mark in 12.1 overs. Powell ended the over by smashing Raghu Sharma for two fours, leaving KKR with 36 to win.
Jasprit Bumrah got the breakthrough wicket of Manish for a 33-ball 45, with six fours, reducing the deficit to 30 in 30 balls. KKR was 118/4 in 15 overs.
"It definitely feels really great. KKR has been really nice and kind to me, obviously," Manish Pandey said after the game.
Allah Ghazanfar got the wicket of Powell for 30-ball 40, with three fours and two sixes, as a rocketing shot went into the hands of Bosch. KKR was 124/5 in 15.2 overs.
The pair of Tejasvi Dahiya and Rinku Singh took KKR near a win, but there was a twist as Tejasvi succumbed to Bosch for 12-ball 11. KKR was at 140/6 in 18.5 overs.
KKR ended their chase at 148/6 in 18.5 overs, with Rinku (9*) and Anukul Roy (4*) unbeaten.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) produced a disciplined bowling effort to restrict Mumbai Indians (MI) to a modest total of 147/8 in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 clash at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday.
(With inputs from ANI)