IPL 2026: Badoni, Choudhary fifties guide LSG to thrilling win over KKR

Lucknow Super Giants pulled off a spectacular last-ball victory over Kolkata Knight Riders by three wickets. Chasing 182, LSG clinched the thriller thanks to fifties from Ayush Badoni (54) and an unbeaten 54 from finisher Mukul Choudhary.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) pulled off a spectacular victory at the Eden Gardens on Thursday, defeating Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by three wickets in a final-ball thriller. Chasing a target of 182, LSG rode on twin half-centuries from Ayush Badoni and Mukul Choudhary to clinch their second victory of the IPL 2026 season.

LSG's Thrilling Chase

LSG's pursuit of 182 began on a shaky note as KKR's Vaibhav Arora struck early, removing Mitchell Marsh (15) and Aiden Markram (22) within the powerplay. Skipper Rishabh Pant could only manage 10 before falling to Cameron Green, leaving LSG reeling at 73/3 at the end of the ninth over.

Badoni's Milestone Fifty

The turnaround started with Ayush Badoni, who played a composed knock of 54 off 34 balls, including seven fours and two sixes. During his innings, Badoni achieved the milestone of 1,000 career IPL runs and became the third player to reach the l000-run landmark for LSG.

Badoni kept the scoreboard ticking even as KKR spinners Sunil Narine and Anukul Roy maintained a tight grip on the scoring rate. During the 15th over, Anukul removed Badoni as Lucknow were in a spot of bother at 125/6.

Choudhary's Unbeaten Finishing Masterclass

However, uncapped powerhouse Mukul Choudhary became the star of the night. The right-handed batter smashed an unbeaten 54 off 27 balls, including seven towering sixes.

With LSG requiring 14 runs off the final over bowled by Vaibhav Arora, Choudhary's aggressive finishing ensured LSG crossed the line, sealing a dramatic victory with three wickets in hand. His ability to find boundaries at crucial moments proved decisive in a high-pressure chase.

Anukul Roy (2/32) and Vaibhav Arora (2/38) were the pick of the bowlers for KKR, but their efforts were ultimately overshadowed by Choudhary's late-game brilliance.

KKR Post Competitive Total

Earlier, the three-time champions posted a competitive 181/4 in 20 overs. After winning the toss, LSG opted to field first on a surface expected to aid both pace and spin as the game progresses.

Kolkata's innings saw early contributions, but regular wickets hindered a big score push. LSG struck early as Prince Yadav dismissed opener Finn Allen for 9 in the second over.

Rahane-Raghuvanshi Build Strong Partnership

However, skipper Ajinkya Rahane (41 off 24) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (45 off 33) countered with intent, powering KKR to 56/1 in the Powerplay. The duo looked set to take the game away, dismantling Avesh Khan for 16 runs in the 6th over, including a towering six by Rahane.

The turning point came when LSG's spin duo of Digvesh Singh Rathi and Manimaran Siddharth were introduced. Rathi broke the dangerous 84-run stand for the second wicket by removing Rahane, who mistimed a pull to Mohammed Shami during the second ball of the 11th over.

The 84-run stand between Rahane and Raghuvanshi was also KKR's second-highest against LSG for any wicket after 120* runs added by Shreyas Iyer and Salt for 3rd wicket at the same venue in 2024.

In the very next over, Raghuvanshi was dismissed by spinner Siddharth.

During the second ball of the 14th over, speedster Avesh Khan clean bowled Rinku Singh (4), who returned to the dressing room after a sharp length delivery that crashed into the top of the off-stump.

After the end of 15 overs, the three-time champions reached 115/4 with LSG bowlers sticking with their disciplined approach that controlled the run-flow.

Late Flourish from Powell and Green

However, the powerful duo of Rovman Powell (39* off 24) and Cameron Green (32* off 24) provided a late flourish, adding valuable runs in the death overs to push the total past 180.

Veteran speedster Mohammed Shami was the pick of the bowlers for LSG in terms of economy, conceding just 27 runs in his 4 overs, while Siddharth, Rathi, Avesh, and Prince Yadav claimed one wicket apiece.

Brief Scores

Brief Scores: Kolkata Knight Riders 181/4 in 20 overs (Ajinkya Rahane 41, Angkrish Raghuvanshi 45, Rovman Powell 39*; Manimaran Siddharth 1/34) lost to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) 182/7 in 20 overs (Mukul Choudhary 54*, Ayush Badoni 54; Anukul Roy 2/32, Vaibhav Arora 2/38) by 3 wickets.

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