Lucknow Super Giants delivered a composed bowling display through the middle overs to rein in Kolkata Knight Riders, restricting the hosts to 181 for 4 in their IPL encounter in Kolkata on Thursday. Chasing an early breakthrough, KKR had looked set for a platform after reaching 98/1 at the halfway stage, but a controlled mix of spin and accurate pace tightened the contest and triggered another slump for the home side.
KKR’s strong start and the turning point
KKR, who were hunting for their first win of the season, began brightly and were cruising at 98/1 at the halfway mark. Skipper Ajinkya Rahane and the in-form Angkrish Raghuvanshi carried the momentum, building a substantial partnership and looking comfortable in their bid to push the total beyond 200. Finn Allen’s dismissal for 9—his second successive single-digit score—ended the early momentum, but Rahane and Raghuvanshi were still in full control.
- At the halfway stage, KKR were 98/1, with Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi driving the chase of a big score.
- Rahane and Raghuvanshi combined for 84 runs from 52 balls, giving KKR a clear pathway toward 200-plus.
- Finn Allen (9) fell for a second consecutive time to a single-digit score.
Middle-overs collapse: wickets in a tight window
However, Lucknow’s bowlers found the right rhythm, using spin variation alongside tidy pace work to bring on a familiar middle-overs wobble. KKR lost three wickets between overs 11 and 14, a stretch that shifted the pressure back onto the hosts.
- KKR’s three-wicket slide arrived between overs 11 and 14, sending the innings off-track.
Rahane and Raghuvanshi depart in quick succession
Rahane contributed 41 off 24 balls, striking four fours and two sixes, before being dismissed by spinner Digvesh Rathi. Mohammed Shami then finished the job with a fine low catch. The next over brought another breakthrough: Raghuvanshi, who struck 45 off 33 balls with five fours and two sixes, was caught at long-on off left-arm spinner Manimaran Siddharth.
- Ajinkya Rahane: 41 (24 balls), 4 fours and 2 sixes; out to Digvesh Rathi, taken by Mohammed Shami at close range.
- Angkrish Raghuvanshi: 45 (33 balls), 5 fours and 2 sixes; out at long-on off Manimaran Siddharth.
A strange moment as Rahane’s bat slips
The innings also produced an odd flash of theatre. During an over by Avesh Khan, Rahane’s bat slipped from his while play continued, and the ball went for a six—an unusual episode that nevertheless did not stop the momentum from swinging back toward Lucknow.
Rinku’s dismissal, Powell’s late push, and Green’s return
The slide deepened when Avesh Khan returned sharply after an expensive start. He struck Rinku Singh (4) with a back-of-a-length delivery that moved away, leaving KKR without a boundary for 30 balls. The result was KKR slipping to 115/4 in 15 overs and exposing the fragility that often shows up in the middle phase.
- Avesh Khan’s return removed Rinku Singh for 4, thanks to a ball that seamed away.
- After that wicket, KKR went 30 balls without hitting a boundary.
- KKR reached 115/4 in 15 overs.
Despite the setback, KKR still managed a respectable finish. Rovman Powell provided the final surge, finishing unbeaten on 39 off 24 balls with four fours and two sixes. Cameron Green also ended not out, scoring 32 off 24 balls with three fours and one six, marking his best performance after intense scrutiny as the most expensive overseas signing in IPL history at Rs 25.20 crore.
- Rovman Powell: 39* (24 balls), 4 fours and 2 sixes.
- Cameron Green: 32* (24 balls), 3 fours and 1 six; his best IPL showing after scrutiny over his Rs 25.20 crore price tag.
- Final total: KKR 181/4.
Lucknow’s bowlers and the early phases
Lucknow’s bowling was led by Shami, who delivered a standout spell of four overs for 27 runs that included nine dot balls. Rathi was particularly economical and precise, finishing with 1/25, while Manimaran Siddharth returned 1/34.
- Shami: 4 overs, 27 runs, nine dot balls.
- Digvesh Rathi: 1/25.
- Manimaran Siddharth: 1/34.
How KKR’s innings began
KKR’s opening rhythm was slow, with 18 dot balls in the first five overs. Still, the side recovered through Raghuvanshi’s counter-attacking batting against Avesh, and they managed to complete the powerplay at 56/1.
Meanwhile, Lucknow’s new-ball bowler Shami looked threatening early on, swinging the ball both ways and conceding only two runs in one of his initial overs. Earlier in the innings, Rahane had set the tone with aggressive, well-timed strokes, while Raghuvanshi maintained his rich run of form, acting as the ideal partner in stabilising the chase after Allen’s early dismissal.
Allen’s wicket and the missed review
Allen’s exit also carried a minor twist. He top-edged a delivery to deep third, where Rathi completed a difficult back-pedalling catch near the boundary line. The on-field officials chose not to challenge the boundary call through a review.
