Kolkata Knight Riders face Mumbai Indians at home in a must-win match of IPL 2026 at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday. KKR, with 11 points from 12 matches, need a win to stay alive in the race for the playoffs. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (18 points in 13 games), Gujarat Titans (16 points in 13 games) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (16 in 13 games) have qualified for the playoffs. Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants are out of the playoff race.
After Rajasthan Royals beat Lucknow Super Giants in Jaipur, the 2008 champions’ probability to enter the playoffs rose to 53 per cent. For Punjab Kings, it’s 22 per cent, while for KKR it’s nine per cent, according to the IPL’s official broadcasters. They have to win both their remaining matches.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) spin legend Sunil Narine could form a sensational match-up with Mumbai Indians (MI) opener Rohit Sharma as the three-time champions continue their hunt for the fourth playoff spot against the five-time champions at Eden Gardens.
KKR, left with two matches, can still reach a maximum of 15 points, which could be enough to seal them a playoff spot if Punjab Kings (PBKS), Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) slip in the rest of their matches. But MI, placed ninth in the points table with just four wins in 12 matches, will be playing for pride and would like to spoil KKR’s chances of a final-four finish.
Narine enjoys a dominant match-up against Rohit, having dismissed him eight times in 22 matches at an average of 18.12 and a strike rate of just over 105. He has managed not only to get his wicket regularly but has also kept his run flow contained. Rohit has managed just 16 fours and two sixes against Narine in 137 balls, as per ESPNCricinfo.
Rohit has scored 268 runs in seven innings at an average of 44.66 and a strike rate of over 164 this tournament, with two fifties and a best score of 84. On the other hand, Narine has been KKR’s second-highest wicket-taker, with 13 wickets in 11 matches at an average of 22.15 and an economy rate of 6.69, with best figures of 2/26
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