Kolkata: Their campaign hanging by a thread, Kolkata Knight Riders will have no option but to go all out against an already-eliminated Mumbai Indians in a crucial IPL match, here on Wednesday.
A defeat will officially end KKR’s playoff hopes for the second successive season under Ajinkya Rahane after their disappointing eighth-place finish in 2025, a year after lifting the title under Shreyas Iyer.
Even a win, however, may not be enough for the Rahane-led side as KKR’s fate will still depend on Punjab Kings’ away match against Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday.
If Punjab win that game, KKR’s final league fixture against Delhi Capitals here on Sunday will become a dead rubber.
As things stand, defending champions RCB, GT and SRH have already sealed playoff berths, while LSG and MI are out of contention.
KKR not only need to win both their matches but also hope Punjab stumble against LSG, as Punjab can still finish on 15 points with a significantly superior net run rate.
For Mumbai Indians, the focus will be on ending a disappointing season on a positive note and potentially spoiling KKR’s playoff push.
The five-time champions are set to welcome back skipper Hardik Pandya, who missed the last three matches due to injury but trained at full intensity on Monday.
Match starts@7.30 pm
