Rain returned to the Eden Gardens in the hours leading up to the IPL 2026 clash between Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians on Wednesday. The wet weather then became a major talking point again once the chase began, with persistent showers arriving at the eight-over stage and putting a washout scenario on the table. Mumbai will be comparatively less concerned by the conditions in Kolkata, but KKR are the ones likely to feel the pressure, especially with a playoffs spot still within reach.
For Kolkata, this has been a season split into two distinct phases. In the opening part of the campaign, the franchise struggled to find consistent plans with either bat or ball, and worrying stretches of form from some of their key performers only compounded the issues. That period ended with a five-match skid, pushing them to the foot of the standings at one stage. However, the second half has delivered a sharp turnaround. With roles and momentum falling into place, KKR surged back strongly, winning five of their last six matches. Their revival also included a Super Over triumph against Lucknow Super Giants at home.
Even with that fightback, Kolkata sit eighth in the points table, but the narrative has shifted again in their favour late in the season. The opportunity to still reach the final stages is now there—though it comes with a narrow margin for error.
What do KKR need from here? The requirement is straightforward: they must win both of their remaining fixtures. The first is against Mumbai Indians on Wednesday, and the second is against Delhi Capitals on May 24. If they do manage wins in both matches, Kolkata are expected to finish on 15 points. From there, if Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals, Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals drop points in their final games, KKR could secure the fourth and final playoffs position.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have already locked in a top-two finish. The other two teams confirmed for the playoffs are Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
There is, however, another scenario to consider: what if the KKR vs MI match is abandoned due to rain? In that case, both Kolkata and Mumbai would receive one point each from the rain-hit contest. That would not change much for Mumbai, who have already been knocked out of contention for the playoffs. For KKR, though, it would drastically reduce their chances of progressing.
If the match is washed out, KKR could still end with a maximum of 14 points—matching the ceiling currently available to Rajasthan Royals, who have yet to play a league game. With that situation, Kolkata would then need multiple results to go their way: CSK, DC and RR would all have to lose their last matches. In addition, KKR would require a win over Delhi by a large margin to upset the net run-rate tie that could otherwise keep them out, given Rajasthan’s position.
Meanwhile, Kolkata’s start in the current match has been encouraging despite the weather threat. After electing to bowl first at home, KKR removed Mumbai’s top order early, taking four wickets during the powerplay. Mumbai then struggled to build momentum and were restricted to 57 runs by the completion of eight overs—an early advantage for the hosts as rain hovered over the contest.
