For the second consecutive day, the Indian Premier League season delivered a finish that went right down to the final delivery. In a high-voltage contest at Eden Gardens, Lucknow Super Giants ultimately pulled off a last-ball chase of 182, edging past Kolkata Knight Riders in a match that swung on the final over. With the equation set at 7 runs needed off just 2 balls, Mukul Choudhary was on strike. He cleared the boundary with a six on the penultimate ball, then calmly took a single on the last delivery to complete the chase and spark celebrations for Lucknow.
While the result naturally thrilled the Lucknow camp, the KKR dressing room remained visibly aggrieved afterwards, continuing to point to an officiating controversy involving their key batter Finn Allen. The debate centred on a boundary rope catch—one that KKR felt should have been checked more carefully. Speaking to reporters at the post-match press conference, Lucknow’s overseas star Rovman Powell did not hold back when asked about the decision. Powell described it as an umpiring “blunder” and questioned why the on-field officials did not examine multiple angles to confirm whether Digvesh Rathi’s foot had made contact with the rope’s cushion while completing the catch.
Powell said the matter should have been reviewed with additional scrutiny, adding that he had seen similar reviews for less significant incidents earlier in the tournament. He also noted that while the moment may have been a mistake, he and the team were not going to dwell on it in a way that would treat it as the single reason for losing “two points” that night.
KKR’s frustration was amplified by what might have happened if Allen had not been dismissed on that delivery. Had Finn Allen managed to strike a six instead of getting taken out, the Knight Riders would have added 6 more runs to their total. In that scenario, the final result could have tilted in favour of the home side, changing the entire complexion of the chase in the last over.
For long stretches, Kolkata appeared to be in control. Heading into the final two overs, they looked set for victory with LSG needing 30 runs to win. That is when Mukul Choudhary stepped forward and delivered the decisive burst under pressure. His sequence—first the boundary to bring the equation within reach, then the finishing single—turned a near-impossible target into a winning one for Lucknow.
Powell’s comments also reflected the wider emotional swing of the night: there was satisfaction in getting over the line, but disappointment at the sense of a missed opportunity for KKR at home. He pointed out how Eden Gardens is traditionally a fortress for the franchise, and how it always feels good to win there in front of their supporters. Still, he acknowledged that Lucknow’s win came with credit to the effort on the field, saying that after reaching 181, the team believed they had a strong chance of finishing the job. He then praised the young batter for the way he handled the situation.
The defeat keeps Kolkata without a win to start their IPL 2026 campaign. So far, they have lost three matches, with one additional game washed out due to rain, leaving them still searching for their first full points of the season.
