Kolkata Knight Riders kept their IPL 2026 playoff hopes alive with a hard-fought four-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians in a rain-interrupted clash at Eden Gardens on Wednesday.After winning the toss and opting to bowl first, KKR bowlers quickly put Mumbai under pressure. MI’s batting lineup once again struggled badly, slipping to 41/4 inside the powerplay after early wickets of Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton and Suryakumar Yadav.Captain Hardik Pandya attempted to rebuild the innings with a cautious 26, while Tilak Varma added 20. The duo stitched together a slow but important 43-run partnership off 49 balls to steady Mumbai after the collapse.However, it was all-rounder Corbin Bosch who gave MI a fighting total with a quick unbeaten 32 off just 18 deliveries. His late cameo helped Mumbai reach 147/8 in their 20 overs.KKR’s bowling effort was shared evenly, with Saurabh Dubey, Cameron Green and Kartik Tyagi picking up two wickets each, while veteran spinner Sunil Narine kept things tight in the middle overs.Chasing 148, Kolkata lost a few wickets early but experienced batter Manish Pandey played a composed knock of 45 to anchor the innings. He received strong support from Rovman Powell, who smashed 40 during a crucial 64-run partnership that shifted the game firmly in KKR’s favour.Despite a few late wickets, KKR crossed the target in 18.5 overs, with Rinku Singh hitting the winning runs to seal an important victory.Brief scores:MI: 147 for 8 in 20 overs (Corbin Bosch 32 not out, Hardik Pandya 26, Tilak Varma 20; Saurabh Dubey 2/34, Cameron Green 2/23)KKR: 148 for 6 in 18.5 overs (Manish Pandey 45, Rovman Powell 40; Corbin Bosch 3/30).
