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Ajinkya Rahane and Finn Allen's catch (Source: AFP and Screengrab/JioHotStar)
The Kolkata Knight Riders suffered another defeat in the IPL 2026 season, losing to the Lucknow Super Giants by 3 wickets in a thrilling last-ball finish at Eden Gardens on April 9. While the match was filled with drama, KKR’s camp has raised serious concerns over a controversial dismissal involving Finn Allen.
It is important to mention that the controversy has once again sparked debate around the use of technology and consistency in decision-making in the IPL.
The Mukul Choudhary heroics in KKR vs LSG
Despite the controversy, the biggest highlight of the match was the stunning performance by LSG’s young batter Mukul Choudhary. Chasing a target of 182, LSG found themselves in deep trouble after losing players like Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant, and Nicholas Pooran early in the innings.
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With the pressure mounting, Mukul Choudhary played a fearless knock, scoring an unbeaten 54 off just 27 balls at a strike-rate of 200.00. His innings completely turned the game around.
LSG needed 7 runs from the last two balls, and Mukul Choudhary held his nerve brilliantly, smashing a six on the fifth ball and calmly taking a single on the final delivery to seal the win.
What was the incident involving Finn Allen's catch?
The controversy took place early in KKR's innings when Finn Allen attempted an aggressive shot off a delivery from Prince Yadav. The ball took a top edge and flew towards the third-man region, where Digvesh Rathi attempted a catch near the boundary.
Digvesh Rathi managed to complete the catch while balancing near the boundary rope. However, replays later suggested that his foot might have touched the boundary cushion during the process. Despite the close call, Finn Allen was given out for just 9 runs.
Watch the video here:
Rovman Powell raises questions over Finn Allen's catch
KKR star player Rovman Powell has expressed disappointment, stating that similar or even less doubtful cases have often been reviewed.
Rovman Powell questioned why multiple camera angles were not checked in such a crucial moment. Still, Rovman Powell emphasised that KKR would not blame the defeat solely on that decision.
“Definitely (more angles should have been looked at). We talked about that when he came off. We thought we had seen in the IPL that the umpires have gone upstairs for lesser things, and that are not as close as that. Maybe it was a blunder on their part, but we're not going to look into that and say that is what cost us two points tonight,” Rovman told reporters in the post-match press conference.
KKR's IPL 2026 journey so far
The loss continues KKR's difficult run in IPL 2026. The team is yet to register a win this season. They lost their opening match to the Mumbai Indians by 6 wickets, followed by a heavy defeat against the Sunrisers Hyderabad by 65 runs. Their third match against the Punjab Kings was washed out due to rain.
With three losses and one no-result, KKR are struggling to find momentum. As the tournament progresses, KKR will need to regroup quickly and address their on-field performance if they hope to stay in contention for the playoffs in IPL 2026.
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.jpg?type=mq "RR vs RCB - H2H")
