Mukul Choudhary’s unbeaten 54 off 27 balls sealed a dramatic last-ball victory as Lucknow Super Giants chased down 182 to beat Kolkata Knight Riders by three wickets at Eden Gardens on April 9. Choudhary hit two sixes in the final over to finish the job after Ayush Badoni’s earlier 54 had kept LSG in contention on a slow pitch. Mohammed Shami, meanwhile, remained economical, conceding just six in the opening over and sitting top of the tournament charts with a 5.33 economy rate so far in IPL 2026.
Asked to bat, KKR posted a competitive 181 for 4 in 20 overs. Finn Allen fell early for nine, but captain Ajinkya Rahane (41) and youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi (45) rebuilt with a composed 84-run stand, taking KKR to 98 for 1 at the halfway mark. The power play (first six overs) produced 52 for 1 as the pair rotated strike and punished loose balls. Digvesh Rathi broke the partnership by dismissing Rahane in the 11th over; Manimaran Siddharth soon removed Raghuvanshi. Rinku Singh offered little, but Rovman Powell’s late hitting (39 not out) and Cameron Green’s unbeaten 32 lifted KKR to their final total.
In reply, LSG began positively with Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh scoring briskly-41 inside four overs-before Vaibhav Arora struck in the fifth, accounting for both openers. Rishabh Pant and Badoni then tried to steady the chase; Pant fell for 10 to Cameron Green, and Nicholas Pooran managed only 13. Badoni held the innings together with seven fours and two sixes, reaching his fifty off 34 balls before falling shortly after.
After Badoni’s dismissal, Mukul took control. With 14 needed off the last over, he struck two towering sixes and saw LSG over the line on the final delivery, finishing 54 not out (50 in 26 balls). Anukul Roy’s two for 32 and contributions from Prince Yadav, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Rathi and Manimaran Siddharth among the bowlers helped keep the contest tight.
The match swung dramatically under Eden Gardens’ floodlights, ending in a thrilling example of late-game nerve and belief as Lucknow edged home in a classic T20 finish. Brief scores: KKR 181/4 (Raghuvanshi 45, Rahane 41; D.S. Rathi 1/25); LSG 182/7 (Badoni 54, Mukul Choudhary 54*; Anukul Roy 2/32).
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2026/04/10/mukuls-54-guides-lsg-to-3-wicket-win-over-kkr/
Category: SPORTS
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Publish Date: 2026-04-10 07:26:00
