Eden Gardens fell quiet when KKR let it slip, their grip loosening just as the finish line came into view. Last-over drama handed LSG the win, snatching victory from what felt like certain defeat. Momentum shifted fast, leaving Kolkata fans staring blankly at the scoreboard.
One reason KKR fell short is that the opening partnership didn’t hold long enough. Pressure built when spin slowed the scoring after seven overs. A dropped catch at deep midwicket shifted momentum sharply; mistakes like that cost more. Middle-order hesitation meant boundaries dried up during power plays. Bowling changes came too late, missing crucial turning points. Then, a sudden run-out sparked panic instead of calm
Based on the match breakdown, here are 6 key reasons why KKR couldn’t close it out:
1. The Mukul Choudhary show:
What stood out most? Mukul Choudhary's wild batting burst. With LSG struggling at 128 for seven, he launched into a 27-ball 54. Seven huge hits flew out of the park, some with that whip-like flick near the end. KKR’s late-over plan fell apart because of it.
2. Middle order batting slump:
Ajinkya Rahane, scoring 41, along with Angkrish Raghuvanshi's 45, gave KKR a steady start - yet momentum slipped away soon after. From the twelfth to the fifteenth overs, their progress slowed sharply; just 17 runs came up during that stretch. On a surface like Eden Gardens, where strokes come easily, reaching only 115 for three wickets felt light. Most would agree that tally fell roughly between 15 and 20 shy of what might have been comfortably out of reach.
3. Cameron Green's costly 19th over:
With the 19th over in his hands, Cameron Green couldn’t find the right length. Boundaries slipped through, three of them, to Choudhary. Sixteen runs leaked during that stretch. What was once 30 needed off 12 balls now sat at fourteen off six. Tough turned easier in just a few deliveries.
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4. Failure to finish in the final over:
Twelve eight for seven in the sixteenth over put Kolkata close to victory. Still, neither Choudhary nor Avesh Khan lost their stumps. An unbroken fifty-four for the eighth wicket followed, Avesh adding just one run, as finishing touches slipped away down the order.
5. Tactical pressure in the final over:
Funny how one well-aimed yorker can shift momentum, yet Vaibhav Arora found himself boxed in by circumstance during that 20th over. With five fielders crowding the infield, thanks to the sluggish pace earlier, the boundaries crept closer despite sharp efforts. A rare slip in line brought a wide, smacked away for six without fuss. Then came the nudge behind the wicket on the last ball, just enough to cost the match.
6. Raghuvanshi's near miss:
The last moments of a battle brought chaos near the stumps. A wild dash unfolded when a leg-bye was attempted off the final delivery. Chance slipped through Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s hands - his throw wide, missing the mark at the batter's end. That meant LSG reached their target, victory sealed by the narrowest margin possible.
