Cameron Green finally got a chance to bowl for Kolkata Knight Riders in their IPL 2026 clash against Lucknow Super Giants at Eden Gardens on Thursday, but the outing brought no comfort for the franchise. The right-arm fast bowler began with a tight 12-run over that also accounted for Rishabh Pant’s wicket, yet his follow-up spell went badly off the mark.
Green gets hit as LSG chase down the target
Green’s second over proved costly with just 12 balls left in the equation. Lucknow required 30 runs from the final 12 deliveries when he came back into the attack, and Mukul Choudhary responded aggressively, smashing two sixes and a four off him.
That over cost Green 16 runs in total, turning the final phase into a highlight reel for Lucknow. With his bowling struggling at a crucial moment, Green’s already fragile tournament narrative only worsened.
At a glance
- Cameron Green bowled for KKR against LSG at Eden Gardens on Thursday in IPL 2026.
- Green’s first over conceded 12 runs and included the wicket of Rishabh Pant.
- In his second over, LSG needed 30 runs off the last 12 balls.
- Mukul Choudhary smashed Green for two sixes and a four, with Green leaking 16 runs in the over.
- Green’s IPL 2026 batting return: 56 runs in four matches at an average of 18.67.
- Mukul Choudhary finished with an unbeaten 54 off 27 balls as LSG won on the last ball.
The Rs 25.2 crore KKR player had been facing scrutiny for his batting displays, and his struggles with the ball added fresh fuel to the online criticism. In IPL 2026 so far, Green has managed 56 runs across four matches, posting an average of 18.67.
As soon as the spell went wrong, fans on social media began trolling him, with posts pointing to his expensive price tag and questioning how long he would remain in the XI. The reactions also contrasted his numbers with the impact made by the batter who punished him in the death overs.
Mukul Choudhary’s late assault seals the win
Mukul Choudhary was the defining figure for Lucknow, delivering an unbeaten 54 off 27 balls to steer his side to a last-ball victory over KKR. His innings included two fours and seven sixes, as he took control when the chase tightened.
KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane backed his bowlers after the match while also praising Choudhary for the way he handled the pressure. Rahane described it as a situation where Lucknow had “nothing to lose,” and said every ball revolved around swinging and taking calculated risks.
Rahane further added that the total of 180–185 would have been a strong one on that pitch, even if it was difficult to clear the boundary. He said slow deliveries were making big shots hard to execute, but ultimately insisted that the credit belonged to Mukul for the way he batted.
With Green’s second-over damage done and Choudhary’s finishing delivering the breakthrough, the match became another talking point for KKR—one that blends a high-profile talent’s rough patch with Lucknow’s nerve and timing in the final overs.
