Manish Pandey and Rovman Powell played crucial roles as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) secured a four-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians (MI) in Match 65 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at Eden Gardens. Pandey’s steady 45 off 33 balls and Powell’s aggressive batting in the middle overs guided KKR to chase down a target of 148 on a challenging pitch.
KKR, despite an early setback, started their innings aggressively with Finn Allen making an impact by hitting boundaries. Jasprit Bumrah’s tight bowling posed challenges, but KKR managed to pick up the pace with Rahane and Pandey’s contributions, reaching 31/1 after four overs.
Mumbai Indians fought back with Corbin Bosch dismissing Rahane, but Pandey’s stability and Powell’s power-hitting turned the tide in KKR’s favor. Pandey’s 45-run innings ended when Bumrah got him out for the first time in T20 cricket with a brilliant offcutter.
KKR’s bowlers set the stage for victory by restricting MI to 147/8. Cameron Green and Saurabh Dubey shone with the ball, dismantling Mumbai’s top-order. Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy’s spin further tightened KKR’s grip on the game, leading to a comprehensive win for KKR.
Late hitting from Bosch and Chahar boosted MI’s total, but KKR’s strong batting performance, led by Powell’s aggressive play, ensured their victory with four wickets in hand, keeping their playoff hopes alive.
