MI win toss, bowl first as KKR post 220/4 in IPL 2026
MI win toss, bowl first as KKR post 220/4 in IPL 2026
Rahane's 67 and Raghuvanshi's 51 power KKR to 220/4; Thakur stars with 3/39 as MI struggle in IPL 2026 opener.
Kolkata Knight Riders posted a par score of 220 for 4 in their IPL clash against Mumbai Indians on Sunday. Skipper Ajinkya Rahane struck 67 and Angkrish Raghuvanshi added 51 as KKR built a formidable total on a placid track. Finn Allen made a bright 37 off 17, and Shardul Thakur chipped in with a crucial 3/39 to tilt the balance in KKR’s favor. The new ball pairing of Boult and Bumrah went wicketless, while debutant Allah Ghazanfar bowled a costly over, giving away 17 runs in his third over as KKR accelerated past 200.
KKR reached 78/1 after the powerplay and looked set to threaten the 250-mark before Thakur’s spell turned the tide. He dismissed Allen with his second ball of the over and later delivered a twin-strike burst that jolted MI’s plans. The burly pacer also bowled in the ninth over, engineering a sharp clash with Cameron Green as the Australian chased short and wide deliveries and was caught by Sherfane Rutherford. In the 14th over, Thakur again used deception with a slower cross-seam delivery that unsettled Rahane, keeping KKR in control as the innings closed at 220/4.
For Mumbai Indians, the chase begins with a tough ask on a surface that supported the bowlers at times. The absence of early breakthroughs for Boult and Bumrah placed extra pressure on MI’s batting unit, and Thakur’s spell underscored the need for a patient, high-intensity chase. The result puts KKR in the driver’s seat early in IPL 2026, while MI will look to regroup in their next outing.
