Kolkata Knight Riders edge past Lucknow in Super Over; secure their second win in IPL 2026

Lucknow: On Sunday, the Kolkata Knight Riders defeated the Lucknow Super Giants in a Super Over during the 38th match of IPL 2026. Powered by a half-century knock from Rinku Singh, the Kolkata Knight Ridersposted a total of 155 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in their allotted 20 overs. In reply, the Lucknow Super Giants also scored 155 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in 20 overs.

For Lucknow, Captain Rishabh Pant was the top scorer with 42 runs. On the bowling front for Kolkata, Vaibhav and Varun claimed two wickets each. Lucknow required 17 runs for victory in the final over. Kartik Tyagi bowled two no-balls, following which Mohammed Shami hit a six off the very last delivery to tie the match. The Lucknow team managed to score only one run in the Super Over. Subsequently, Kolkata sealed the victory by hitting a four off the very first ball. This marks the Lucknow Super Giants' sixth defeat in IPL 2026, while securing the Kolkata Knight Riders their second win of the season.

What Was the Story of the Super Over?

Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran stepped out to bat for the Lucknow Super Giants. Varun Chakravarthy bowled the Super Over for Kolkata. Pooran was clean bowled on the very first delivery. Rishabh Pant then scored a single off the second ball. On the third delivery, Markram was caught out. Kolkata required just two runs to win. Kolkata's star batsman, Rinku Singh, clinched the victory for his team by hitting a four off the very first ball he faced. Prince Yadav bowled the over for Lucknow. Mohsin Khan, who had taken five wickets during the match, could not bowl the Super Over for the Lucknow Super Giants as he had already completed his full quota of overs.

How Did Lucknow Tie the Match?

Chasing a target of 156 runs, the Lucknow Super Giants got off to a poor start. The team's opening batsman, Mitchell Marsh, could manage to score only two runs. This was followed by a 57-run partnership off 55 balls for the second wicket between Aiden Markram and Rishabh Pant. Captain Rishabh Pant began with a six off Cameron Green and then struck a four off Sunil Narine as well. Opening batsman Markram also hit fours off Anukul Roy and Arora.

The Super Giants posted 37 runs for the loss of one wicket during the Powerplay. Markram completed the team's half-century in the ninth over with a six off Varun Chakravarthy. Rinku then took a spectacular catch at long-off to dismiss Markram off Green's bowling. In his 27-ball innings, Markram hit two fours and a six.

Pant subsequently hit a four off Narine, but while attempting a reverse sweep on the very next delivery, he was caught by wicketkeeper Tim Seifert. Facing 38 balls, he struck four fours and a six. Nicholas Pooran's (09) poor form continued; after hitting a six off Chakravarthy, he was caught by Narine at short third-man off the spinner's bowling. The Super Giants required 64 runs for victory in the final five overs. Mukul Chaudhary (01), who had been in good form, was then caught by Rinku off Anukul Roy's bowling. Ayush Badoni completed the team's century in the 16th over with a six off Anukul, and also hit a six off Tyagi. Himmat Singh, too, sent a delivery from Tyagi into the stands.

Badoni (24), however, was caught by Anukul off Chakravarthy's bowling in the following over, but George Linde struck two fours off the final two deliveries. The Super Giants needed 28 runs in the last two overs. Linde (08) was then caught by Rinku off Arora's bowling. Mohammed Shami and Himmat hit fours off Arora. Tyagi had to defend 16 runs in the final over, but Shami dragged the match into a Super Over with a six on the last ball.

The 38th match of IPL 2026 was played on Sunday between the Lucknow Super Giants and the Kolkata Knight Riders. In a match that went all the way to a Super Over, KKR emerged victorious and climbed to the 8th position on the points table. Batting first, KKR had posted a total of 155 runs. In reply, Lucknow required 7 runs off the final delivery; Shami smashed a six, sending the match into a Super Over. However, Lucknow could only manage to score 1 run in the Super Over, a target that KKR chased down on the very first ball.

How Did Rinku Singh Perform?

Batting first, KKR got off to a disastrous start. Tim Seifert failed to make an impact in this match as well, failing to even open his account. Rahane managed to contribute only 10 runs with the bat. Cameron Green scored 34 runs, but apart from him, Angkrish, Powell, and Anukul Roy were complete failures. However, Rinku Singh once again produced a magnificent performance, playing an innings of 83 runs off 51 balls. His knock included 7 fours and 5 sixes. Powered by his efforts, KKR posted a total of 155 runs for the loss of 7 wickets.

How Did Mohsin Khan Perform?

Plagued by difficulties due to Mohsin Khan's blistering bowling, the Kolkata Knight Riders managed to post a total of 155 runs for the loss of seven wickets against the Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League on Sunday, thanks to a blistering half-century by Rinku Singh. Delivering the best bowling performance of his career, Mohsin claimed five wickets for just 23 runs, dismantling the Super Giants' top and middle order. Spinner George Linde also chipped in with one wicket for 18 runs.

For the Knight Riders, Rinku produced the best batting performance of his career, scoring an unbeaten 83 off 51 balls—studded with five sixes and seven fours—while also forging a 42-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Cameron Green (34) and an unbroken 62-run stand off 30 balls for the eighth wicket with Sunil Narine (04 not out). Apart from Rinku and Green, only Captain Ajinkya Rahane (10) managed to reach double figures.

How did KKR perform in the Powerplay?

Super Giants Captain Rishabh Pant won the toss and elected to bowl—a decision Mohsin vindicated perfectly by reducing the Knight Riders' score to 31 runs for the loss of four wickets. In just the second over, Mohsin dismissed Tim Seifert (00), who was caught by Mukul Chaudhary. Captain Ajinkya Rahane smashed the first six of the innings off Mohammed Shami but subsequently fell to Mohsin, caught by Aiden Markram. Angkrish Raghuvanshi (09) was then unfortunately dismissed for obstructing the field. The Knight Riders could only manage to score 31 runs for the loss of three wickets during the Powerplay.

Mohsin dealt the Knight Riders their fourth blow by having Rovman Powell (01) caught by wicketkeeper Pant. In the ninth over, Cameron Green propelled the team's score past the 50-run mark with two sixes off George Linde. Green smashed a six off Mohsin as well, but was fortunate on the very next delivery when the ball landed safely between Digvijay Rathi and Prince Yadav. However, Green failed to capitalize on this reprieve and, just one ball later, was caught by wicketkeeper Pant.

On the following delivery, Mohsin claimed his maiden five-wicket haul by having Anukul Roy (00) caught by Ayush Badoni, leaving the Super Giants at 73 for the loss of six wickets. Rinku Singh ended the boundary drought in the 14th over with two consecutive fours off Rathi. The Knight Riders reached the 100-run mark in the 16th over. Rinku completed his half-century off 42 balls, hitting a six and two fours off Shami. In the final over of the innings, he propelled the team's total past the 150-run mark with four consecutive sixes off Rathi.

What were the Playing XIs?

Kolkata Knight Riders: Ajinkya Rahane, Tim Seifert, Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rovman Powell, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi.

Lucknow Super Giants: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Mukul Chaudhary, George Linde, Mohammed Shami, Prince Yadav, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Mohsin Khan.