KKR vs MI highlights, IPL 2026: Kolkata Knight Riders beat Mumbai Indians by 4 wickets to keep their playoff hopes alive

All eyes on Ahmedabad - Thursday, 21st May, takes us to the gigantic Narendra Modi Stadium as the Gujarat Titans host the Chennai Super Kings. And plenty is riding on that one too. GT are eyeing a top-two finish with a win, while CSK are desperate to keep their campaign alive, with defeat spelling elimination. The first ball of that game will be bowled at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT). But our buildup begins well in advance. Until then, we sign off from here. Cheers!

KKR level it up against MI - It was MI who dominated the Knight Riders at the Wankhede earlier this season. But come this evening at the Eden Gardens, KKR have returned the favour on home soil. They stay at home as they prepare for their final league fixture against the Delhi Capitals, on Sunday, May 24th, a game that will also be the last of the league stage this season. They will know their fate by then. For the Mumbai Indians, they head back home to wrap their season with an aim to finish with a win and give their home crowd something to smile about. They play against the Rajasthan Royals on Sunday, 24th May, and it will be an afternoon game just before the KKR vs DC match. 

PLAYER OF THE MATCH - KKR's Manish Pandey receives the award for his brilliant 45 off 33 balls. Pandey says it feels really great to be a part of this setup, and KKR has been really nice and kind to him. Manish adds that he was looking to stay out in the middle till the end to see the side home, but he is really happy that the team got the points they were after at the end. Manish details that a couple of boundaries he hit off Deepak and Bumrah off his back foot were the ones that gave him a lot of confidence. Adds that it was important for him to feel like a part of the squad even though he was not featuring in the XI. Manish concludes by saying that his forte has been to contribute in whatever way he can, be it saving a single or a boundary or taking a regulation catch or a blinder, he just wants to make every ball count for the betterment of the side.

The captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders - Ajinkya Rahane says the belief within the Kolkata Knight Riders camp was always there, even after the first six matches of the season. Mentions that the side had some really good discussions after the first win, and from then on, the group began to believe more strongly. Rahane credits the positive atmosphere within the dressing room and says the preparation from the support staff has been fantastic throughout. Ajinkya reveals that once Cameron Green started bowling, they wanted Rovman Powell to get in, and he has made a lot of impact. Rahane also praises Anukul Roy and Kartik Tyagi, saying both have carried confidence from their domestic seasons and performed brilliantly for the side. He is particularly delighted for Manish Pandey as well, highlighting his work ethic and attitude despite not always being in the playing XI. The KKR skipper signs off by saying that the side wants to keep taking one game at a time, with staying in the moment working best for them.

... Time for the post-match Presentation ...

KKR's bowlers outfox MI - A pitch well-suited for the KKR bowling attack made life difficult for Mumbai Indians from the outset. Cameron Green struck twice early to leave MI reeling, and though Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav offered brief resistance, MI's top four fell inside the Powerplay. A rain interruption did little to change Mumbai's fortunes as Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma struggled to get going in the middle overs, never finding the fluency to shift the momentum. The spin trio of Narine, Chakaravarthy, and Anukul were particularly impressive, conceding just 47 runs across 9 overs between them. MI never quite broke free, and while Bosch's late cameo pushed them close to the 150-run mark, it was a hugely collective bowling effort from KKR.

Pandey and Powell make it look easy - The target was never truly a source of anxiety for KKR, who simply needed one steady partnership to see them through the tricky middle phase, and they found exactly that through Powell and Pandey. The two allied for an untroubled 64-run stand that took the game firmly away from the Mumbai Indians. MI did try to claw their way back, picking up a couple of wickets to reduce KKR from 118/3 to 140/6, but by then the damage was well and truly done. With less than a run a ball needed and the groundwork laid beautifully, Rinku Singh strolled out and did what Rinku Singh does, hitting the winning runs in the end.

Ball dominating the bat - This was the case throughout the game. KKR began on similar lines as their opponents, as they lost Finn Allen inside the Powerplay, though they managed 51 runs through the restrictions. However, Rahane and Manish Pandey put together a steady alliance, navigating a new swinging ball with variable bounce against Chahar and Bumrah, before Rahane fell in the final over of the Powerplay. It was Bosch who made those inroads, eventually accounting for Cameron Green as well, reducing KKR to 54/3 at one stage.

Getting interesting in the final stretch - With three playoff spots already confirmed, the race for the fourth berth has just gotten a whole lot spicier. This win sees KKR leapfrog both DC and CSK to move to sixth on the table with 13 points, and they are now breathing down the neck of the Punjab Kings, who sit at a similar points tally.

KKR's power-hitter is up next - Rovman Powell, on the pitch and his batting plans, says that it was a typical Caribbean wicket, not a typical IPL surface where the ball slides onto the bat. He notes the ball was holding a bit and says he knew exactly how to bat on it. He explains that the idea was to target the shorter boundary and that it was far from a placid surface, with the ball gripping rather than coming on smoothly. On staying alive in the season despite the poor start, he says that is the beauty of the game. He stresses the need to keep focus on the last game of the league stage.

The captain of the Mumbai Indians - Hardik Pandya says it turned out to be quite an entertaining game. Feels MI were 20 runs short with the bat. He admits losing too many wickets in the Powerplay hurt them and feels that had he and Tilak Varma stayed together for longer, MI could have posted a much more competitive total. Pandya mentions that he does not mind surfaces like these, where bowlers have something to work with, especially in a season where batting-friendly pitches have often left bowlers helpless. He is also critical of the fielding effort, calling it quite poor and stressing that there is no hiding away from that. Hardik speaks about the next ESA game against the Rajasthan Royals on Sunday, where around 25,000 children will be at the stadium watching the game. He says the hope is to put smiles on their faces and create lifetime memories for them.

Knight Riders stay alive - How the tables have turned, eh? With not a single win in their first six games, everyone marked KKR out of the season, but here they are. Winning six of their last seven games, they have given themselves a real chance to make it through. Though it is still not very easy for them, this has been a fantastic comeback from the Knight Riders in the second half of the season. A contrasting picture for the Mumbai Indians, though. It simply has not been their season, this defeat making it nine losses this year, with a winning streak still eluding them throughout the campaign.

Will Jacks to Rinku Singh, FOUR! KKR win this game by 4 wickets and stay alive in the playoff race. Fuller around middle and leg, Rinku Singh stays leg side of the ball and smashes this up and over mid on for a boundary.

Will Jacks to Rinku Singh, Quicker one, on the pads, Rinku Singh pushes this towards the left of the bowler.

Will Jacks to Anukul Roy, Tossed up, around off, Anukul Roy backs away a shade and opens up the off side. Lofts this inside out over the covers region for three runs. Naman Dhir races in from the sweeper cover region and puts in a dive to his left, but fails to get anywhere near it. 

Will Jacks to Anukul Roy, Full and a bit of away turn, on middle. Roy leans on to flick it away. Gets a leading edge but it drops safely in front of cover.

Will Jacks to Anukul Roy, Top-spinner, around off, Anukul Roy plays the lofted drive early but gets it sliced in front of Jasprit Bumrah at backward point.

Will Jacks to bowl his off-breaks now.

Corbin Bosch to Anukul Roy, Short and around off, Anukul Roy plays this late and dabs this towards the third man region for one run.

Corbin Bosch can do no wrong tonight. Anukul Roy walks in next.

Corbin Bosch to Tejasvi Singh, OUT! CAUGHT! Corbin Bosch continues his good game as he picks up his third wicket. On a length, around the pads, going further down. Tejasvi Singh goes down on a knee and looks to swing it away on the leg side. Ends up with a top edge that is skied in front of long leg. Ryan Rickelton calls for it and races to his left with gloves on. Deepak Chahar run in from the deep fine leg fence. Deepak doesn't call for it and Rickelton ends up clattering into Chahar but holds onto a good catch. Chahar seems to have injured his left knee and grimaces in pain.

Corbin Bosch to Tejasvi Singh, FOUR! A streaky boundary to Tejasvi Singh but he wouldn't mind a single bit of it. Hard length, around the top of off, Tejasvi Singh looks to push this down the ground but gets an outside edge and the ball races to the right of the keeper for a boundary behind the stumps. 

Corbin Bosch to Tejasvi Singh, Tejasvi Singh looks a bit rattled. Is it due to the knock he took on the previous ball, or the quality of Corbin Bosch? On a hard length and into the batter, Tejasvi closes the bat face early and gets a leading edge that drops in front of point. 

Tejasvi Singh has copped it on the helmet's visor. The physio rushes out for the concussion check. Singh is fine to resume.

Corbin Bosch to Tejasvi Singh, Overtime for the physio of KKR as he rushes out in the middle. A well-directed bumper, around off, Tejasvi Singh looks for the pull but completely misses it. The ball sneaks past the bat and hits Tejasvi Singh right on the grill. 

Corbin Bosch to Tejasvi Singh, On a length, around off, Tejasvi Singh looks to heave it away for a biggie but gets an inside edge onto the pads.

Jasprit Bumrah to Tejasvi Singh, Back of a length, on the pads, Tejasvi Singh looks to flick this towards the fine leg region. The ball gets big on Singh and he takes the bottom hand off the handle and helps this through short fine leg for one.

Jasprit Bumrah to Tejasvi Singh, Good length, on off, Tejasvi Singh blocks this off his back foot.

Jasprit Bumrah to Rinku Singh, Good length, on off, Rinku Singh plays this late, opens his bat face and guides this through the third man region for a run.

Jasprit Bumrah to Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah comes around the stumps, bowls it on a hard length, around off. Rinku Singh blocks this out.

Jasprit Bumrah to Rinku Singh, FOUR! Just a gentle push and the ball has raced to the fence for four. Back of a length, on the pads, Rinku Singh gets inside the line and just tucks this through the gap at the square leg region for a boundary. Just 14 more needed for KKR.

Jasprit Bumrah to Tejasvi Singh, Around off, on a good length. Tejasvi dabs it wide of backward point for a single.

AM Ghazanfar to Tejasvi Singh, Oh, that could have gone anywhere. Shorter and slower, on off. Singh looks to punch it down the ground off the back foot. The ball stops on him and he is early into his stroke. Chips it uppishly but well wide of the bowler to his left. Single taken.

AM Ghazanfar to Tejasvi Singh, Tossed up, on middle. Tejasvi Singh blocks it off.

AM Ghazanfar to Tejasvi Singh, FOUR! First runs for Tejasvi Singh in the IPL. Floated up, down leg. Tejasvi attempts the sweep but fails to connect. Ryan Rickelton moves to his left but is beaten. It races down to the fence for a boundary. Rickelton believes that the ball grazed the gloves of the batter. MI review in the hope of overturning the wide call and they get it right. The UltraEdge confirms that the ball indeed went off the gloves and it lobbed past the keeper.

AM Ghazanfar to Tejasvi Singh, Loopy ball, on middle. Tejasvi Singh digs it out.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi is substituted by Tejasvi Singh

Well, well, well. MI have just made it a bit more interesting. There was a bit of mystery around the concussion sub for Angkrish Raghuvanshi. Initially, there were rumours of Ramandeep being the one. He was also seen padded up, according to the on-air commentators. But it is Tejasvi Singh who comes in to bat at number 7. 

Is that a fair catch by Bosch? The umpires have taken the review from their end and have asked Powell to wait, but he keeps walking away. Several replays come up and they are checking whether the ball is grounded. It is not with Bosch having his fingers underneath. 

AM Ghazanfar to Rovman Powell, OUT! TAKEN! Corbin Bosch has pulled off a blinder. That seemed destined for a boundary. Dropped short by AM Ghazanfar, on off. Powell presses back and goes hard on the cut. He has no intention of keeping it on the ground and picks the bones out of it. Corbin Bosch reacts quickly at backward point to his right. He initially goes with both hands, but then sticks out the right hand to grab hold of the ball. It sticks in his grasp and the ball stays in even after his elbow hits the turf. Two new batters at the crease for KKR. Can MI conjure up something special?

AM Ghazanfar to Rovman Powell, SIX! Not quite from the middle but it does the job for Powell. Tossed up, full and outside off. Powell drops to a knee and he has a big swing at it. He does not quite get hold of it but got enough bat on it to clear the wide long on fence.

STRATEGIC BREAK​​​​​​! Bumrah has just picked up his fourth wicket this season, and has dismissed Manish Pandey for the first time in T20s. But it seems like too little too late for the Mumbai Indians at this stage as KKR need just 30 runs off the last 5 overs. The door is not completely shut, MI still have their toe in it, but KKR look well placed to hunt this down from here. Rinku Singh comes in at number 6.

Jasprit Bumrah to Manish Pandey, OUT! CLEANED HIM UP! The nip-backer does the trick for Jasprit Bumrah, and he is all smiles. Seam-up ball, on a nagging length, bowled from going wide on the crease. Pandey hangs back and is a bit tentative in defence. The ball jags back in off the surface to go through the yawning gap between the bat and the pad and hits the top of the middle stump. Pandey cannot quite see his side home. Good last couple of overs for MI. 6 runs and a wicket off the last 12 balls.

Jasprit Bumrah to Rovman Powell, Skidding through, on a hard length, on off. Rovman hangs back for the block. The ball drops off the splice of the bat in front of backward point. Will Jacks swoops in and fires in a throw at the batting end but misses. It would not have mattered anyway as Pandey was in by then.

Jasprit Bumrah to Rovman Powell, Drags the length back a bit and goes wide on the crease, on off. Powell stabs it down the strip.