Kolkata Knight Riders’ Finn Allen (R) walks back to the pavilion after losing his wicket.

NEW DELHI: Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Rovman Powell did not hold back after his side’s heartbreaking last-ball defeat to Lucknow Super Giants, pointing to an umpiring “blunder” while also admitting that conditions at Eden Gardens played their part in the result.Defending 181/4, KKR seemed in control when LSG slumped to 128/7 after 16 overs. But a sensational late onslaught from Mukul Choudhary, who smashed an unbeaten 54 off 27 balls, turned the game on its head as LSG sealed a three-wicket win on the final delivery.‘Maybe it was a blunder’The flashpoint came earlier in the innings when Finn Allen was dismissed in controversial fashion. His top-edge was caught at deep third man, but replays suggested the fielder may have brushed the boundary rope. Despite the close call, on-field umpires chose not to refer the decision upstairs.“Definitely more angles should have been looked at,” Powell said. “We thought we had seen in the IPL that umpires have gone upstairs for lesser things, and not as close as that.”“Maybe it was a blunder on their part, but we’re not going to say that is what cost us two points tonight,” he added, stopping short of placing full blame on the officials.‘Not a 220-wicket’Powell also highlighted the nature of the Eden Gardens surface, saying it was far from the high-scoring tracks typically associated with the venue.“It’s not that classic Eden Gardens wicket where you just go and blast. It was not a 220-wicket; there was a little bit in it for the bowlers, especially with slower balls,” he explained.Despite the loss, Powell credited Mukul’s composure under pressure. “You want to make Eden Gardens your fortress… but credit to the youngster, he batted really well,” he said.KKR’s struggles continue, with just one point from four matches so far. However, Powell remains optimistic.“If you see the history, winners build momentum in the middle and back end. It’s not easy when you don’t start well, but our destiny is still in our hands. We still have 10 games left,” he said.

Lucknow Super Giants’ captain Rishabh Pant, right, with Mohammed Shami (PTI Photo)

Mohammed Shami and Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rishabh Pant shared a heartwarming moment during net practice ahead of their IPL 2026 clash against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, a clip that has since gone viral on social media.LSG head into the contest with renewed confidence after registering their first win of the season against Sunrisers Hyderabad, bouncing back strongly from their opening defeat to Delhi Capitals. Both Shami and Pant played key roles in that victory, showcasing their impact with both ball and bat.During a practice session, Pant was seen striking the ball cleanly, sending several shots into the stands. However, after missing one delivery, Shami cheekily remarked, “Bahar nikal kar le sakta” (you could have stepped out and hit it).Pant responded in his usual confident style, saying, “Lappa to main har ball par ghuma dunga” (I can swing hard at every ball).Shami’s Support Wins HeartsWhat followed was a wholesome moment that caught fans’ attention. Shami, in a supportive tone, told Pant: “Tu hamara sher hai, tu kuch bhi kar… hum tujhe neeche nahi girne denge, chahe tu kuch bhi kar.”(You are our lion, do whatever you want… we won’t let you fall, no matter what.)The exchange reflected strong camaraderie within the LSG camp, highlighting the trust and encouragement shared between senior players and the captain.

Match Preview – KKR vs LSG

Kolkata Knight Riders, struggling for form and ideas, may make major changes as they chase their first win of IPL 2026 against a confident Lucknow Super Giants at Eden Gardens. Much attention will be on Mohammed Shami, who is coming off a brilliant spell and could exploit KKR’s fragile top order in helpful conditions.KKR’s batting has been inconsistent, with their opening pair failing to deliver, while their bowling unit has also lacked impact. In contrast, LSG’s strength lies in their balanced attack, including Shami and a strong supporting cast, which has dominated the powerplay this season.LSG also carry momentum with Rishabh Pant’s recent unbeaten 68 and a solid top order featuring Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram. Overall, it’s a clash between a struggling KKR side and a confident, in-form LSG unit.

Rishabh Pant and Ajinkya Rahane (Pic credit: IPL)

Out of form and short on ideas, Kolkata Knight Riders are set to consider sweeping changes as they hunt for their first win of the IPL 2026 season against a confident Lucknow Super Giants at Eden Gardens on Thursday.Much of the spotlight will be on Mohammed Shami, who is coming off a brilliant 2/9 spell against Sunrisers Hyderabad, dismissing Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head — the same pair that had troubled KKR earlier. With helpful conditions expected, Shami’s seam movement could once again expose KKR’s fragile top order.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!KKR were rattled early in their previous outing as well, slipping to 16/2 before rain forced a washout against Punjab Kings. Weather could remain a factor, though the late start is likely to limit disruption.Beyond Shami, LSG’s bowling depth — including Prince Yadav and mystery spinner Digvesh Rathi — adds to the challenge. Their powerplay dominance has already been evident, reducing opponents to 26/4 on two occasions this season.KKR’s batting remains a concern, with the Ajinkya Rahane–Finn Allen opening pair yet to click consistently. A reshuffle could be on the cards, while the form of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy with the ball is another worry.LSG, meanwhile, will draw confidence from Rishabh Pant’s composed unbeaten 68 in the last game, supported by the experience of Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram at the top.

KKR vs LSG Head-to-Head

KKR vs LSG: Pitch Report

The match is likely to be played on the same surface used for the PBKS-KKR clash. In recent times, tracks at Eden Gardens have largely favoured batters, and that trend is unlikely to change. However, weather could once again play a role.Conditions were overcast on the eve of the game, with rain forecast around sunset on matchday. The meteorological department has issued an orange alert for both Wednesday and Thursday, indicating a strong possibility of rain interruptions.

KKR vs LSG: Predicted XIs

Kolkata Knight Riders predicted XI: Finn Allen, Ajinkya Rahane (capt), Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Sunil Narine, Anukul Roy, Navdeep Saini, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik TyagiImpact Sub: Blessing MuzarabaniLucknow Super Giants predicted XI: Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Rishabh Pant (wk, capt), Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, M Siddharth, Avesh Khan, Mohammed Shami, Digvesh RathiImpact Sub: Prince Yadav

KKR vs LSG: Kolkata Weather Update

There is a yellow alert for thunderstorms in the morning, with periods of rain expected early in the day and considerable cloud cover throughout. The maximum temperature is likely to be around 33°C. The good news is that skies are expected to clear by night, with the temperature dropping to around 23°C.Rain is forecast until around noon, with the chance of precipitation decreasing from 49% at 12 PM to 0% by the time of the toss at 7 PM. As of now, there is no rain expected during match hours tonight.

KKR vs LSG: Live Streaming details

The KKR vs LSG clash will be held at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, with the match set to begin at 7:30 PM IST. The game will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network, while live streaming will be available on JioHotstar.

KKR vs LSG squads

Kolkata Knight Riders: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Rovman Powell, Sunil Narine, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Varun Chakravarthy, Vaibhav Arora, Umran Malik, Cameron Green, Finn Allen, Matheesha Pathirana, Tejasvi Singh, Kartik Tyagi, Prashant Solanki, Rahul Tripathi, Tim Seifert, Sarthak Ranjan, Daksh Kamra, Rachin Ravindra, Blessing Muzarabani, Saurabh Dubey and Navdeep Saini.Lucknow Super Giants: Rhabh Pant (c), Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Himmat Singh, Matthew Breetzke, Mukul Choudhary, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Josh Inglis, Nicholas Pooran, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahamad, Arshin Kulkarni, Ayush Badoni, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, M. Siddharth, Digvesh Singh, Akash Singh, Prince Yadav, Arjun Tendulkar, Anrich Nortje, Naman Tiwari, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan.

Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and opted to bat vs KKR at Eden Gardens (BCCI/IPL Photo)

NEW DELHI: Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane faced heavy criticism on Monday after opting to bat first in a rain-threatened clash against Punjab Kings at Eden Gardens. In matches with rain forecasts, captains usually prefer to field first to have clarity on the target in a shortened game. However, Rahane’s decision did not go down well with many, including legendary Anil Kumble and former India cricketers Ravichandran Ashwin and Saba Karim.According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the rain was triggered by a low-pressure trough stretching from Bihar to Manipur, passing over North Bengal, Assam and Bangladesh, leading to moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal.“Thunderstorms with lightning and rain may occur in most districts of South Bengal. From Sunday to Thursday, scattered rainfall is likely across the state, with higher intensity on Tuesday and Wednesday,” the IMD said.Despite these conditions, Rahane’s decision to bat first drew criticism from former cricketers.“I am surprised that Rahane won the toss and chose to bat first. On a pitch like this, where there’s some rain around, ideally, you would want to field first,” Kumble said on the JioHotstar broadcast during the rain break.Ashwin took to social media and posted a sarcastic remark.“When you know it’s going to be a rain affected game, with an inexperienced bowling attack at your disposal, you choose to bat first. Interesting thought process. #ipl2026,” Ashwin wrote.“I cannot understand this call. I cannot wrap my head around it,” Saba said.Former Bengal batter Shreevats Goswami wrote: “Very surprised to see Rahane winning the toss & electing to bat first on a overcast condition. Bit of a shocker there. Immediately you can see swing and 2 caught behinds. Very very brave call. #kkr,” he said.Rain then interrupted Kolkata Knight Riders’ IPL match against Punjab Kings, with the home side struggling at 25 for 2 in 3.4 overs amid steady drizzle that later intensified into a thunderstorm.Opting to bat, KKR – still searching for their first win of the season – were jolted early as Xavier Bartlett struck twice in the span of three balls.Showing excellent control over swing and seam, the Australian pacer dismissed KKR’s two key overseas batters Finn Allen (6) and Cameron Green (4), who had been promoted to No. 3.Green, the highest-paid overseas player at Rs 25.20 crore, endured another poor outing, having earlier scored 18 against Mumbai Indians and 2 against Sunrisers Hyderabad, as KKR’s struggles continued following two opening losses.Skipper Rahane (8) and young wicketkeeper-batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi (7), who has been KKR’s most consistent performer this season with back-to-back fifties, were attempting to rebuild when persistent drizzle forced the umpires to halt play at 7:45 pm.With Eden Gardens equipped with full ground covers, the groundstaff moved swiftly to cover the entire field.

It’s been acclaimed as the knock of the century. No other innings evokes such fond memories and awe as VVS Laxman’s 281 at the Eden Gardens in 2001. The stylish Hyderabadi’s chutzpah and steely resolve allied beautifully in constructing a magnificent edifice that halted the bull run of Steve Waugh’s rampaging Aussies. Laxman vividly recounts that epic innings for TOI… Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Your tally of 1415 runs is still a record for a domestic season. Did playing quality spinners in the Hyderabad nets help in countering Shane Warne better?My dream was always to win the Ranji Trophy for Hyderabad and the 1415 runs I scored in nine matches were really a by-product of trying to contribute towards that goal. Looking back, the 1999–2000 domestic season is very special to me. That season gave me a lot of confidence and reassurance about my game. The 353 I scored in the Ranji semis against Karnataka was another memorable moment because it demanded a lot of concentration, patience and the ability to stay focused for long periods.

Coming into the Indian team after that season, naturally the confidence levels were quite high. But international cricket is always a different challenge especially when you are facing the quality bowling that Australia had at that time.In Hyderabad, I was fortunate to face some very good spinners in the nets. Those sessions were extremely valuable because they helped me develop methods against quality spin. Of course, nothing can truly replicate the skill and variation of someone like Shane Warne but regularly facing quality spin certainly helped build the confidence and clarity needed to counter him in matches.Tell us how did physio Andrew Leipus manage to put you on the park?Two days before the Test my back went into a severe spasm and I could barely move. The credit for getting me on the field really goes to Leipus. He worked tirelessly through the night and early morning, giving me treatment, stretching the muscles and managing the pain. Even though I was probably only about 50–60 per cent fit, both Sourav and John Wright wanted me to play the Test. For the entire match I wasn’t physically comfortable. Every movement reminded me of the pain in my back, but when you are representing your country, you simply find a way to endure the pain and keep going and the mind becomes stronger than the body.Pain seems to get the best out of you. Eden and then Mohali…I wouldn’t say pain brought the best out of me, but those moments certainly tested my resolve. At Eden the situation demanded patience and belief especially while building that partnership with Rahul. In Mohali (against Australia, Oct 2010), the back pain made every movement difficult, but when you are so close to helping your team win, you somehow find the strength to keep going. I feel grateful that on both occasions I could contribute in a way that helped India.Since your early days too, the longer you stay at the wicket, better the run flow…Early in the innings my focus was always on giving myself time at the crease and understanding the conditions, the pace of the wicket and how the bowlers were operating. Once I spent some time in the middle, my footwork became more decisive and I could pick the length much earlier, which makes a big difference. When that happens, the mind becomes clearer and the shots you practice in the nets start coming naturally in the game. From there it’s about trusting your natural game and being a little more proactive once you are set.

VVS Laxman (Getty Images)

Picking the length early is clearly the hallmark of your batting. Did you sense that it was your day?On that day even though we were under pressure, I felt I was seeing the ball well and my footwork was quite decisive, which helped me control my strokeplay. Picking the length early always gives you that extra bit of time to play your shots. But as a batsman you never really assume it’s going to be your day. The focus is simply on staying in the moment, being disciplined and building the innings session by session.In the first innings, Steve Waugh had fielders on the boundary to get you off strike and you were stroking the ball along the carpet…When you are in good rhythm you can still pierce the gaps along the ground and find the boundary. I was timing the ball really well at that stage and even though Steve Waugh had pushed a lot of fielders to the boundary, my focus was on placement. The idea was to stay positive, take most of the strike and continue building the innings without forcing anything.You and Rahul were involved in many partnerships for South zone. But here it was different. Rahul came down the order. Did he let it show at any point during that long partnership? And what were the mid-pitch conversations all about?Rahul and I had built some memorable partnerships right from our age group cricket. Just about a month before this Test, we had a 300-run stand for South zone against West in the Duleep Trophy. But here the situation was completely different. The match situation was quite grim and when he came in at No. 6, he was incredibly calm and professional. He understood exactly what the team needed and focused on the job at hand. Our conversations were mostly about staying patient, being proactive when the opportunity came and breaking the day into small passages. The key was to keep supporting each other and keep the scoreboard moving.The fifth-wicket partnership of 376 runs turned out to be pivotal…The immediate focus was on rebuilding the innings and batting time. Once Rahul and I settled in, the idea was to make the bowlers work hard and slowly wear them down. We tried to play to our strengths, rotate the strike and capitalise whenever they offered us an opportunity. As the partnership grew you could sense the pressure gradually shifting back onto Australia. Even after reaching our individual milestones, we never became complacent as the objective was to keep batting as long as possible and ideally get through the entire fourth day.

Given both your physical condition, playing sessions was a steep climb. How did you break it down?Physically it was very demanding, especially in those conditions, but both of us understood how important that partnership was for the team. Both of us had the ability to bat for long periods but we tried to break the day into smaller phases. When you approach it that way it really helps because you are only focusing on the next passage of play. We kept encouraging each other and reminding ourselves that the longer we stayed there the more the pressure would shift back onto Australia.The second new ball on the fourth morning was crucial…We knew the bowlers would come hard at us. So, the second new ball was a very important phase of the game. Our plan was to stay very compact, play late and leave well outside off stump as much as possible. The idea was to see off that initial spell and not give them any early wickets. Once the shine went off and we got through that period, it allowed us to regain control and start building the innings again.And the pressure got to the Australians because boundary balls started flowing?When a bowling attack has to keep coming back for long spells without success it can be quite challenging. Once Rahul and I were set, we tried to capitalise whenever they slightly missed their lengths and converted those opportunities into boundaries. That gradually shifted the momentum in our favour.Did players carrying drinks rile the Aussies too?There was a lot of energy around the ground and in the dressing room. The players bringing drinks would sometimes pass on messages or encouragement from the team and the crowd at Eden Gardens was incredibly vocal. I think at times that enthusiasm probably irritated the Australians a little, but for us it was just part of the support we were getting. What the Eden Test did for Indian cricket?At that time Australia were such a dominant side so beating them after following-on was incredibly significant. That match was very special for Indian cricket because it reinforced the belief that we could come back from extremely difficult situations and still win a Test match. It showed the value of resilience, patience and belief in Test cricket. For us as a team it gave tremendous confidence going forward and proved that if we stayed mentally strong, we could compete with the very best teams in the world.

NEW DELHI: Explosive opener Finn Allen credited New Zealand’s recent tour of India as a key factor behind their clinical run in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after smashing a record-breaking century to power the Kiwis into the final.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Allen produced one of the most destructive knocks in World Cup history, blasting an unbeaten 100 off just 33 balls as New Zealand chased down a tricky 170 against South Africa in only 12.5 overs at Eden Gardens on Wednesday. The nine-wicket victory sealed New Zealand’s place in the final in emphatic fashion.

Speaking after the match, Allen highlighted how a five-match series against India before the tournament helped the visitors adapt to the demanding black-soil surfaces used during the World Cup.“It just shows the importance of that India series the boys played before the World Cup. Five games on black soil… you can’t replicate that kind of preparation,” Allen said. “We learnt a lot as a group. As a team, we get up for the fight. In those important games we’re prepared to scrap and stay in it till the end.”Allen also praised the New Zealand bowlers for setting up the victory after early breakthroughs dented South Africa’s momentum. “It was an extremely impressive start from our bowlers — they set the game up for us, for sure. On a surface like that, if you can take wickets up front and build pressure, it makes life a lot easier for the batters.”The right-hander added that the recent experience of playing in India gave him a better understanding of the conditions. “Having had that last game against India on black soil gave me a proper look at what to expect. That was really helpful coming into this one,” he said.Allen also reserved special praise for opening partner Tim Seifert, who hammered a 33-ball 58 in a blistering stand that effectively ended the contest inside the powerplay.“He just kept dealing in boundaries… he’s been doing that all tournament. He’s in incredible form. It’s good fun batting with Timmy when he’s in that mood,” Allen said.Looking ahead to the final, Allen urged fans back home to rally behind the team. “Finals are special… you don’t get too many chances at them. Hopefully everyone gets behind us for Sunday.”

Varun Chakaravarthy (Getty Images)

MUMBAI: Wednesday’s nets session was an optional one, but Varun Chakravarthy was out there, alongside bowling coach Morne Morkel, slogging it out in searing heat.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The focus throughout the session, and during the mammoth one that India put in on Tuesday evening, was on the length he needs to hit against England in the semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.

Varun started the T20 World Cup campaign with a bang, ending the four-match group stage with nine wickets at a strike rate of 8. But in the Super Eights, while bowling against stronger opponents, he was found somewhat wanting. In the three games, he took just two wickets at a strike-rate of 24 and conceded 10.16 runs per over, which is much higher than his career economy rate of 7.23. He finished with figures of 1/47 against South Africa, 1/35 against Zimbabwe and 1/40 against West Indies.Against South Africa, David Miller, Dewald Brevis and Tristan Stubbs showed the courage to take on the mystery spinner. As a result, he erred in his line and length—bowling a bit short or fuller when put under pressure—which brought him into the batters’ arc to hit him down the ground or either side of the wicket. The story repeated against the West Indies in the last match at the Eden Gardens, with Shimron Hetmyer and Jason Holder going after the Kolkata Knight Riders’ spinner. When the batters took him on, they curtailed his ability to apply the squeeze in the middle overs and take wickets to keep the opponents on the mat.

Varun is still among the top-five wicket-takers in this edition with 12 scalps, but teams seem to have dissected his variations, especially the googly, which has been his go-to delivery to take wickets. Almost 75% of his wickets in T20Is have come with the googly. When he has bowled the googly at pace, rival batters have played him as an incoming bowler and tried to hit him straighter. When he has got one to turn away, batters have backed themselves and adjusted.With the likes of Phil Salt, Jos Buttler, Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks in their ranks, England will take a cue from Varun’s outings against South Africa and West Indies, make use of the shorter boundaries and put the 34-year-old under pressure.During the media interaction, Morkel revealed that discussions with Varun centred around getting “clarity” of his plans a day ahead of the match and “allowing him to walk away feeling good about his body”.“With the variations that Varun’s got, he’s got the ability to take a wicket with almost every ball. So, the discussion was that if he goes for a boundary, the aim is to move on to the next one and make sure he commits to that next ball. He’s hard to pick once you walk into the crease. So, for him it’s just about getting that confidence into the ball, getting his speed, his length and control right,” said Morkel.

South Africa’s captain Aiden Markram (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

South Africa captain Aiden Markram admitted it was simply a night where very little went his side’s way as a rampant New Zealand national cricket team stormed into the T20 World Cup final with a crushing nine-wicket win at Eden Gardens.New Zealand’s charge was led by a breathtaking 33-ball century from Finn Allen, the fastest hundred in T20 World Cup history, as they chased down 170 in just 12.5 overs. For Markram, the damage was done early.

“I think you look at conditions early and they bowled really well up front. Ball didn’t quite feel like coming on, some were just stopping on the wicket and some were hitting quite low on the bat and they made scoring really tough and through that pressure builds and you lose wickets unfortunately,” Markram said.He credited the Kiwi bowling unit for squeezing his side during the powerplay, where scoring never quite flowed. “So give credit to their bowling unit and obviously with the bat, someone plays an innings like that, don’t think you will come out on the right side of the result many times as a fielding team.”South Africa eventually posted 169 for 8, thanks largely to Marco Jansen’s unbeaten 54 off 30 balls and a crucial stand with Tristan Stubbs after they had slumped to 77 for 5. Markram felt there was still hope at the break.“To get to 170 was a great effort to be fair. At the halfway point we really felt like we had a sniff,” he said.That optimism quickly faded as Allen and Tim Seifert tore into the bowling. “But then, as it goes in T20 cricket.. (in) the powerplay (they) got off to a flyer and can’t protect every boundary unfortunately, and yeah they got away and then from there it was really hard to pull it back.”Markram reserved special praise for the openers who killed the contest inside the first six overs. “So we give massive credit to Finn Allen’s knock, Tim Seifert’s knock to kill the game as early as they did, and yeah unfortunately, it was just that bad night for us tonight.”Reflecting on what could have been done differently, the skipper suggested a quicker tactical adjustment with the bat might have helped.“It’s hard to say right now. We’ll reflect as the group. I think we expected the wicket to play really well. It looked pretty good to the eye, so potentially just adapt a bit quicker with the bats and go back to maybe a bit more old school approach, set it up and try to scrape your way to 190, and maybe you’ll be in the game from there.”Despite the disappointment of falling short of another final, Markram stood firmly behind his squad. “So yeah, we’ll reflect as a group. Obviously disappointed with the result, but very proud of this group of guys who have played some really good cricket throughout this comp, and it’s just an unfortunate evening really.”