Lucknow Super Giants defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by three wickets in a thrilling Indian Premier League 2026 clash on April 9 at Eden Gardens. KKR posted 181/4, powered by a solid 84-run stand between Ajinkya Rahane (41) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (45). Late acceleration came from Cameron Green (32*) and Rovman Powell (39*), adding 70 runs.
Chasing 182, LSG started steadily through Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram, but lost momentum in the middle overs. Ayush Badoni revived hopes with a crucial 54. The match turned dramatically when Mukul Choudhary smashed an unbeaten 54 off 27 balls, sealing victory. Vaibhav Arora and Anukul Roy took two wickets each. LSG moved to fifth, while KKR stayed ninth in the IPL 2026 points table.
Key Moments from Match 15 of IPL 2026:
Rahane-Raghuvanshi steady partnership
Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi stitched together a steady and crucial partnership for the second wicket, stabilising the innings for Kolkata Knight Riders. Rahane led the charge with a fluent 41 off 24 balls, smashing four boundaries and two sixes. Raghuvanshi supported him effectively with 45 off 33 deliveries, including five fours and two.
KKR middle order fumble
LSG bowlers tightened their grip on KKR as they triggered a middle-order collapse with quick wickets. The spinners applied pressure through the middle overs, breaking the rhythm of the batting lineup and restricting scoring opportunities. The momentum shifted further when Avesh Khan delivered a crucial blow by dismantling Rinku Singh’s stumps.
Powell & Green sign off in style
As the Eden Gardens pitch slowed down during the middle overs, KKR batters found it difficult to maintain momentum. However, Rovman Powell and Cameron Green stepped up brilliantly to provide a strong finish. The duo stitched together a crucial 70-run partnership off 40 balls for the fifth wicket, accelerating in the death overs. Powell played the aggressor’s role, scoring 39 off 24 balls with four boundaries and two sixes, while Green contributed a steady 32 off 24 deliveries, including three fours and a six.
Arora sent back LSG hitters packing
LSG got off to a brisk start, with the openers adding 41 runs in just 25 balls for the first wicket. However, the hosts fought back strongly through Vaibhav Arora. Arora turned the momentum by removing Mitchell Marsh for 15 and Aiden Markram for 22 in quick succession.
Badoni fought lone hand during middle overs
With wickets falling regularly at the other end and the rest of the batting lineup struggling to accelerate, Ayush Badoni came under immense pressure for LSG. Despite the challenging situation, he showed great composure and held the innings together. Badoni played a crucial knock, scoring a brilliant 54 off 34 balls, which included seven boundaries and two sixes.
Mukul Choudhary seals the game with complete dominance
With LSG losing wickets at regular intervals, the responsibility fell on young finisher Mukul Choudhary to take the side home. He showed remarkable composure under pressure and turned the game on its head with a fearless display of hitting. Choudhary remained unbeaten on 54 off just 27 balls, smashing two boundaries and seven sixes at a strike rate of 200. He shifted momentum decisively by scoring 16 runs off Cameron Green’s 19th over and followed it up with 14 runs in the final over, sealing a dramatic win and securing two crucial points for LSG.
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