‘Gone upstairs for lesser things’: KKR star fumes over umpiring blunder | Cricket News – The Times of India


‘Gone upstairs for lesser things’: KKR star fumes over umpiring blunder | Cricket News – The Times of India
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.


IPL 2026: Mukul Choudhary masterclass snatches victory from KKR’s clutches in last-ball thriller | Cricket News – The Times of India


IPL 2026: Mukul Choudhary masterclass snatches victory from KKR’s clutches in last-ball thriller | Cricket News – The Times of India
Mukul Choudhary (BCCI Photo)

NEW DELHI: Lucknow Super Giants pulled off a thrilling last-ball win against Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2026, chasing down 182 to win by three wickets. The match stayed tense till the very end, with LSG holding their nerve to cross the line in dramatic fashion.Asked to bat first, Kolkata Knight Riders posted a competitive 181/4.

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Kolkata Knight Riders suffered another heartbreaking loss as their bowling, especially in the final overs, let them down against Lucknow Super Giants in a last-ball IPL thriller. Despite being in control for most of the game, KKR couldn’t defend 181, as LSG pulled off a stunning win with just one ball to spare.

Late collapse costs KKR

Kolkata Knight Riders looked strong after putting up 181/4, thanks to solid contributions from Ajinkya Rahane (41) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (45), followed by a late push from Rovman Powell (39 not out) and Cameron Green (32 not out). However, a slowdown in the middle overs meant they fell short of a bigger total.With the ball, KKR made a strong start. Vaibhav Arora removed Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh quickly, and Green struck early to dismiss Rishabh Pant. From 41/0, LSG slipped and were struggling at 125/6, with KKR seemingly in control.

Mukul Choudhary’s stunning finish

But Lucknow Super Giants turned the game around dramatically. Ayush Badoni kept the chase alive with a steady 54, but it was young Mukul Choudhary who stole the show. Batting fearlessly, he smashed an unbeaten 54 off just 27 balls, including multiple sixes, to take the game deep.KKR’s inexperienced pace attack struggled under pressure at the death. Green conceded crucial runs in the penultimate over, while Arora failed to hold his nerve in the final over. Choudhary capitalised, hitting big shots and guiding LSG home on the last ball with a thrilling finish.The win lifted LSG to fifth position on the points table, while KKR, currently ninth in the standings, remained winless after four matches, with their bowling and middle-over issues continuing to haunt them.


IPL match today, KKR vs LSG: Team prediction, head-to-head, pitch report, Kolkata weather update | Cricket News – The Times of India


IPL match today, KKR vs LSG: Team prediction, head-to-head, pitch report, Kolkata weather update | Cricket News – The Times of India
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 Head-to-Head

  • Total matches played: 6
  • Kolkata Knight Riders: 2
  • Lucknow Super Giants: 4

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.