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Mukul Choudhary delivered a match-winning performance under pressure, smashing an unbeaten 54 to help Lucknow Super Giants edge past Kolkata Knight Riders by three wickets in a high-scoring encounter in the 15th match of IPL 2026 at Eden Gardens on Thursday.

Chasing a challenging target of 182, Lucknow rode on Mukul’s explosive finishing as he remained not out on 54 off just 27 balls, hammering seven sixes and two boundaries to seal victory in a nail-biting finish.

Earlier, Kolkata Knight Riders posted a competitive 181 for 4 in their 20 overs, thanks to solid contributions throughout the batting order. Ajinkya Rahane set the tone early with a fluent 41 off 24 balls, while Finn Allen managed just 9 before departing. Rahane then combined with Angkrish Raghuvanshi to build a steady partnership that anchored the innings.

Raghuvanshi impressed with a well-crafted 45, showing maturity against both pace and spin, but his dismissal at a crucial stage slowed KKR’s momentum. Rinku Singh failed to make an impact, falling cheaply for 4.

In the death overs, Cameron Green and Rovman Powell provided the late flourish. Green remained unbeaten on 32, while Powell’s aggressive 39 not out ensured KKR accelerated at the right time, pushing the total close to the 180 mark.

KKR dominated large parts of the innings, especially during the powerplay and middle overs, but LSG bowlers struck at key moments. Digvesh Singh Rathi dismissed Rahane, Manimaran Siddharth removed Raghuvanshi, and Avesh Khan accounted for Rinku Singh to keep Lucknow in the contest.

However, Green and Powell counterattacked brilliantly in the final overs, taking on Avesh Khan and Prince Yadav. Powell, in particular, capitalized in the penultimate over, smashing boundaries and a six, while Green added crucial runs to give KKR a strong finish.

In response, Lucknow had a shaky start, losing Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram early. Captain Rishabh Pant also fell for 10, leaving the team under pressure during the chase.

Ayush Badoni steadied the innings with a composed 54 and stitched a vital partnership with Mukul Choudhary. While Badoni held one end, Mukul took charge in the latter stages, accelerating brilliantly to turn the game in Lucknow’s favour.

Mukul’s innings was a perfect blend of composure and aggression, as he picked the right bowlers to target and kept the required rate in check despite wickets falling at the other end.



For KKR, Vaibhav Arora and Anukul Roy claimed two wickets each, while Kartik Tyagi, Sunil Narine, and Cameron Green picked up one apiece. However, their efforts went in vain as Mukul’s late blitz proved decisive.

Lucknow Super Giants eventually reached 182 for 7, completing a memorable chase and securing a hard-fought victory.