Kolkata Knight Riders will enter the game with some self-belief after defeating Gujarat Titans in its previous outing. | Photo Credit: K.R. DEEPAK

Kolkata Knight Riders, one of the five teams vying for the remaining solitary playoff berth, will try to exact revenge on Mumbai Indians at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday and stay relevant for the business end of IPL 2026.

KKR must have regained some self-belief after defeating Gujarat Titans in its previous outing.

The host, which has struggled through the season due to injuries to its key players, will have to keep a close eye on spinner Varun Chakaravarthy (who bowled against GT despite nursing a foot injury) and pacer Matheesha Pathirana (who pulled his hamstring midway through an over) while finalising a potent bowling attack against MI.

Sunil Narine, who not only dries up runs but also provides crucial breakthroughs, has been KKR’s bowling trump card. All-rounder Cameron Green is a decent option, while left-arm pacer Saurabh Dubey provides variety.

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With Finn Allen rediscovering his touch, Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Green making healthy contributions and Rinku Singh performing his middle-order role well, KKR would be mentally secure about its batting even while expecting captain Ajinkya Rahane to lift his game.

The already eliminated MI will be without any pressure as its sole motive will be to gather as many wins as possible and finish on a high.

A side which has logged several impressive totals and consists of destructive batters such as Ryan Rickelton, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma and Sherfane Rutherford, should make life difficult for KKR bowlers. The possibility of regular skipper Hardik Pandya’s return should spur the team.

With an attack comprising Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Corbin Bosch and Allah Ghazanfar, MI can dent KKR’s feeble chances, and the home team will need to produce something special to stop MI and disappoint its loyal fan base on the eastern flank of the country.

Published on May 19, 2026