LSG beat KKR by 3 wickets at Eden Gardens
The 15th match of the Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026) was played on Thursday (April 9) between the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Eden Gardens stadium in Kolkata. In this clash Lucknow’s young batter, Mukul Choudhary, played an unbeaten innings of 54 runs from 27 balls to guide his team to victory in a highly thrilling encounter. At one stage, it appeared as though KKR held complete dominance over the match and that a win would be a difficult task for Rishabh Pant’s team. However, Mukul refused to give up until the very end and returned to the pavilion only after securing the victory for his side. Notably, Ayush Mhatre also played a crucial half-century innings for the team.
In this match, the Lucknow Super Giants won the toss and elected to bowl first. Batting first, KKR posted a total of 181 runs for the loss of 4 wickets in their allotted 20 overs, setting a target of 182 runs for the Lucknow team to win. Lucknow successfully chased down this target, scoring 182 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in 20 overs, thereby winning the match by 3 wickets. This marked KKR’s third defeat in their four matches played so far.
Shane Bond praises Rajasthan pacers ahead of RCB clash
Rajasthan Royals’ fast bowling coach, Shane Bond, didn’t hold back when talking about his team’s bowling attack after their strong start to the 2026 IPL season. Sitting in for a press conference before RR’s game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Bond looked genuinely pleased. “It’s been a great start, actually,” he said. “When you kick off a new IPL season—especially after how tough last year was—you always get that jittery energy. But honestly, it’s not just the quicks. The whole bowling group, and really the entire squad, has stepped up.”
Bond could sense the morale shifting. “There’s a quiet confidence about how we’re playing. When you have more wins than losses, you can breathe a bit easier. Off the field, the guys open up more too. We’re still talking a lot about what we can get better at, which is a good problem to have when you’re 3-0, instead of chasing your first win.”
He gave a nod to the variety and competition among the bowlers. Bond added, “We’ve got a great bunch here. They’re all so different, and that keeps the competition strong within the group. It’s a really good place for us to be.”
From younger days I like hitting sixes, said Mukul Choudhary
Player of the Match Mukul Choudhary’s blistering 54 off 27 balls helped Lucknow Super Giants turn the tables and defeat Kolkata Knight Riders by three wickets. Ayush Badoni (54) scored a blistering half-century. This is Lucknow’s second consecutive win, while Kolkata, on the other hand, are winless this season. coming in at number 7, Mukul Choudhary played a brilliant innings and was relieved only after leading Lucknow to victory.
Mukul scored an unbeaten 54 off 27 balls, hitting two fours and seven sixes. He breathed life into a losing match, hitting several spectacular shots. After the match he said, “My journey started when my father was not even married, his dream was his son has to play cricket. I started at the age group level but there were not good academies in Sikkim. I played matches in Delhi and Guragaon and that helped me. When I was playing against U19 versus UP, it was a low scoring game and I made a contribution, so he knew then that I would make it big. It was only my second match,”
“God has given me this opportunity, there can be pressure but it is also an opportunity to make a name for myself. My aim was to bat till the last and see what happens. Even I liked the first six, I had not scored a single six in two games, so the first one was special. In my mind I knew one out of the four balls will be in the slot and I was just waiting for it. From younger days I like hitting sixes and not playing along the ground,” added Mukul.
LSG set to replace injured Wanindu Hasaranga
Amidst the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are preparing to bring in a replacement player for their injured Sri Lankan leg-spinner, Wanindu Hasaranga. The team’s Cricket Director, Tom Moody, stated on Thursday that the franchise would announce Hasaranga’s replacement within the next 24 to 48 hours.
Speaking during the match played against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Kolkata, Moody said, “We have come to terms with the fact that Hasaranga will not be able to join us now. We are currently looking for his replacement, and an announcement regarding this will be made within the next 24 to 48 hours.” According ESPNcricinfo, South African spinner George Linde is likely to be inducted into the squad as Hasaranga’s replacement. Linde has also previously featured in the T20 World Cup. Over the past 12 months, he has been a part of various franchise leagues
For more news & updates, follow The Crichub on X and YouTube
