KKR vs LSG, IPL 2026: Mukul Chaudhary Turns the Tide; Lucknow Super Giants Defeat Kolkata Knight Riders on Final Ball

KKR vs LSG, IPL 2026: The 15 Match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, held on Thursday (April 9), the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) took on the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). This encounter between the two teams took place at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. In the match, Lucknow defeated Kolkata by three wickets. Kolkata had set a target of 182 runs for Lucknow to win—a target that Lucknow successfully chased down on the very last ball of the innings. Mukul Chaudhary emerged as the hero of Lucknow's victory, turning the match around by scoring an unbeaten 54 runs off just 27 balls. Mukul smashed seven sixes and two fours.

The three-time champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, continue their quest for their first victory of the current season.

In the final over, Lucknow required 14 runs to win. In that over, bowled by Vaibhav Arora, Avesh Khan took a single off the very first delivery. Mukul Chaudhary then hit a six on both the second and fifth balls. Finally, taking a single via byes on the last ball, he steered his team to victory. This marked Lucknow's second consecutive win, while for Kolkata, it was their third defeat in four matches.

The Kolkata Knight Riders had faced defeats against the Mumbai Indians (MI) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their opening matches, while their fixture against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) was washed out due to rain. Meanwhile, the Lucknow Super Giants had suffered a defeat at the hands of the Delhi Capitals (DC), before subsequently defeating the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

How Lucknow's Run Chase Unfolded

The Lucknow Super Giants got off to a strong start in their run chase. Aiden Markram (22 runs) and Mitchell Marsh (15 runs) combined to forge a 41-run partnership for the first wicket. 'Impact Sub' Vaibhav Arora sent both batsmen back to the pavilion in the very same over. Captain Rishabh Pant failed to make an impact in this match and fell victim to Cameron Green after scoring a personal tally of 10 runs.

Anukul Roy bowled Abdul Samad (2 runs) to secure the fifth wicket for the Kolkata Knight Riders. However, 'Impact Sub' Ayush Badoni was batting well and went on to complete his half-century. Anukul Roy eventually dismissed Badoni. Badoni scored 54 runs off 37 balls, an innings that included seven fours and two sixes.

Mohammad Shami (1) handed a catch to Anukul Roy while attempting to play a big shot off the bowling of spinner Sunil Narine. At the time of Shami's dismissal, the Lucknow Super Giants' score stood at 128/7. From this point on, Mukul Chaudhary single-handedly turned the tide.

Here is how the Kolkata Knight Riders' innings unfolded:

After losing the toss and batting first, Kolkata Knight Riders posted a total of 181 runs for the loss of four wickets. KKR did not get off to a good start; in just the second over, they lost the wicket of Finn Allen (9 runs), who was caught by Digvesh Rathi off the bowling of Prince Yadav.

So far, 7 matches have been played between Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League. During this period, Lucknow Super Gia... The Giants have won 5 matches, while the Kolkata Knight Riders have won 2. In the previous season, one match was played between the two teams, in which the Lucknow Super Giants secured a victory by 4 runs.

Kolkata vs Lucknow H2H

Total IPL Matches: 7

Won by Lucknow: 5

Won by Kolkata: 2

Kolkata Knight Riders' Playing XI: Ajinkya Rahane (Captain), Finn Allen, Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi (Wicketkeeper), Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Sunil Narine, Navdeep Saini, and Kartik Tyagi.

Impact Sub: Vaibhav Arora

Lucknow Super Giants' Playing XI: Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper/Captain), Nicholas Pooran, Abdul Samad, Mukul Chaudhary, Manimaran Siddharth, Avesh Khan, Mohammed Shami, Digvesh Singh Rathi, and Prince Yadav.

Impact Sub: Ayush Badoni