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For Kolkata Knight Riders, the focus shifts to their last league game, where a big win could still open the door to the top four. Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, will want to end their campaign on a high note as they face Rajasthan Royals in their last matchup of the IPL 2026 season.
Kolkata Knight Riders' Rovman Powell reacts with Manish Pandey during their innings against Mumbai Indians(REUTERS)Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) kept their IPL 2026 playoff dreams alive with an easy win by four wickets against the Mumbai Indians (MI) on Wednesday (May 20) at Eden Gardens. The win boosted KKR’s points tally and kept them in contention for the remaining berth of the playoffs. On the other hand, MI who were already eliminated from the race, faced yet another setback this season.
What happened in the KKR vs MI match
Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, KKR restricted MI to 147/8 in 20 overs. Early breakthroughs by Saurabh Dubey and Cameron Green set the tone, while MI struggled after facing a batting collapse. In the chase, KKR reached 148/6 in just 18.5 overs, sealing the win with 7 balls to spare. Manish Pandey starred with a match-winning knock of 45 runs off 33 deliveries, and earned Player of the Match honours for his calm presence under pressure.
IPL 2026 Points Table after KKR vs MI
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (18 points), Gujarat Titans (16 points), and Sunrisers Hyderabad (16 points) have already qualified for the playoffs. Rajasthan Royals hold fourth spot on 14 points. But the bottom half of the table remains packed. With their recent win against MI, KKR have now climbed to the sixth spot, following Punjab Kings. Both teams have 13 points, respectively. However, PBKS have a better NRR. They are followed by Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals, keeping the playoff race wide open mathematically, with only a few matches left.
| 1 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Q) | 13 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 1.065 | 18 |
| 2 | Gujarat Titans (Q) | 13 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0.400 | 16 |
| 3 | Sunrisers Hyderabad (Q) | 13 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0.350 | 16 |
| 4 | Rajasthan Royals | 13 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0.083 | 14 |
| 5 | Punjab Kings | 13 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0.227 | 13 |
| 6 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 13 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0.011 | 13 |
| 7 | Chennai Super Kings | 13 | 6 | 7 | 0 | -0.016 | 12 |
| 8 | Delhi Capitals | 13 | 6 | 7 | 0 | -0.871 | 12 |
| 9 | Mumbai Indians (E) | 13 | 4 | 9 | 0 | -0.510 | 8 |
| 10 | Lucknow Super Giants (E) | 13 | 4 | 9 | 0 | -0.702 | 8 |
KKR playoff scenario
With the win, Kolkata Knight Riders now sit on 13 points from 13 games, tied with Punjab Kings but placed sixth on net run rate of +0.011. The two-time champions have one league match remaining and must win it while relying on other results to overtake teams above them.
Punjab Kings hold a better NRR at +0.227, meaning KKR will need a strong net run rate boost in their final outing to stay in the race. They will also want the Rajasthan Royals to lose their upcoming game in order to qualify for the playoffs.
About the Author
Aachal Maniyar
Aachal Maniyar is a Senior Content Producer at LiveMint, where she covers US sports with a focus on major leagues, marquee events, and athlete-driven stories, while also reporting extensively on cricket and global sports. With over five years of first-hand journalism experience, she combines sharp editorial judgment with real-time sports storytelling across platforms. <br><br> Her reporting journey spans leading newsrooms including Thomson Reuters, India TV, BTVI, ET NOW, and CNBC TV18, where she has worked across breaking news, live match coverage, feature writing, interviews, video scripting, and anchoring. This multi-platform exposure has shaped her ability to deliver context-rich sports and business journalism tailored for both television and digital audiences. <br><br> Aachal has conducted and produced exclusive interviews with athletes and public figures such as India cricketer Dhruv Jurel, Indian women’s hockey captain Savita Punia, and industrialist Ratan Tata, along with several emerging and established sports personalities. Her body of work includes in-depth explainers, athlete profiles, emotionally resonant fan narratives, and data-backed match analysis across cricket, Olympic sports, and international competitions. <br><br> She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, and believes in reporting that is grounded in accuracy, clarity, and credibility. Her philosophy is simple: sports journalism should go beyond scores and statistics, capturing the human stories, pressure moments, and decisions that shape the game and the people who play it.
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