KKR vs MI IPL 2026: Kolkata Knight Riders star batters Manish Pandey and Rovman Powell helped the team defeat Mumbai Indians by four wickets at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday. While Manish scored a match-winning knock of 45 runs off 33 balls, Rovman Powell smashed 40 runs off 30 balls. With this win, KKR improves its chances of qualifying for the playoffs and keeps its hopes alive.
After Ajinkya Rahane chose to field, Cameron Green, Saurabh Dubey, and Kartik Tyagi took two wickets each as KKR’s disciplined bowling restricted Mumbai Indians to 147 for eight. The host achieved the target with seven balls to spare.
KKR bowlers delivered their best PowerPlay (46 for four) of the season. Green struck twice in his first over, removing Ryan Rickelton to a fine Manish Pandey catch and having Naman Dhir caught behind. Left-arm seamer Saurabh then dismissed Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav in consecutive overs. Rohit’s mistimed shot was spectacularly caught by Green after a 33-yard run from mid-on, avoiding a collision with Rovman Powell. Suryakumar dragged one onto his stumps.
Following an hour’s rain interruption, KKR spinners took control. The crafty Sunil Narine dished out his variety, while Varun Chakaravarthy, nursing a foot injury, bowled tidily.
Tilak Varma survived on 12 when Varun dropped a return catch. The left-hander fell soon after, pulling Tyagi to backward square-leg.
Narine bowled Hardik Pandya before Corbin Bosch’s unbeaten 32 in the death overs added some re spectability to MI’s total.
ALSO READ: IPL 2026: Suryakumar Yadav’s Poor Form Continues As MI Star Dismissed By KKR’s Saurabh Dubey
In reply, KKR lost Finn Allen in the first over before Rahane and Manish Pandey added 38 runs.
Bosch executed his plans well to account for Rahane and Green in successive overs.
Batting for the first time in the season in five outings, Manish (45), who last batted for KKR about a year ago, applied himself on the tricky surface and batted sensibly.
Manish, who gathered boundaries through straight hits and square cuts, and Rovman Powell, who picked his areas on both sides to play big hits, cut down on their flamboyance to forge a vital 64-run partnership.
The fall of Manish and Powell in back-to-back overs put KKR under pressure before Rinku Singh hung on to ensure the host’s victory well past midnight.