Mukul Choudhary went from almost costing Lucknow Super Giants the match to snatching victory from Kolkata Knight Riders in just 20 wild minutes. The 23-year-old all-rounder smashed an unbeaten 34 off 18 balls, flipping the script and sealing LSG’s second win of IPL 2026 in front of 40,000 shocked fans. Here’s the kicker: his bowling (1/47 in 4 overs) very nearly handed KKR the game before his bat rescued everything.

How Mukul Choudhary Nearly Lost It for LSG

Nobody in Eden Gardens missed the irony. The same guy who ended up the hero for LSG had earlier put his team in a serious spot of bother with the ball.

His opening three overs cost 35 runs. In the 12th, Shreyas Iyer hit two boundaries on the trot. At 120/2, things looked cozy for KKR—so much so that captain KL Rahul handed Choudhary the ball for one last shot. That move totally backfired. Rinku Singh hammered 12 runs off his over, and suddenly the Knights looked set for an easy win.

That dodgy spell left LSG chasing 47 from the last four overs—a huge ask. According to CricInfo, LSG’s win chances crashed to just 23% after Choudhary’s rough outing. You could even see his teammates slumped on the bench, almost giving up.

The 18-Ball Blitz That Shocked Eden Gardens

But then, everything changed. LSG still needed 31 off 18 balls when Mukul Choudhary walked out, looking calm as ever.

Right away, he smoked a six over long-on off Harshit Rana. Next ball? Another six, this time over square leg. Instantly, the equation dropped to 19 off 16, and you could hear a pin drop in Eden Gardens.

The real game-changer came in the 19th, bowled by Varun Chakaravarthy. Choudhary swept the first ball for four. On the third, he reverse-swept and sent it to the boundary again. Two balls, eight runs, and suddenly LSG had hope. His strike rate for those 18 balls? An eye-popping 188.89.

Take a look at the IPL 2026 points table after that—Choudhary’s fireworks shook up both teams’ positions.

KKR’s Bowling Attack Crumbles Under Pressure

KKR’s struggles at the death this season have come back to haunt them again. Shreyas Iyer’s call to hand Harshit Rana the 18th over, instead of veteran Umesh Yadav, really hurt.

Rana, who’d been tidy until then, suddenly leaked 14 runs as Choudhary took him apart. His usual trick—trying to outfox batters with slower bouncers—just didn’t work this time. Choudhary saw it coming and pulled it for six. The young pacer’s confidence just drained away right in front of everyone.

Then there was Varun Chakaravarthy, KKR’s top wicket-taker this season. But under pressure, he lost his edge. His 19th over went for 12 runs. Both boundaries came from Choudhary’s sweeps. For a guy who usually keeps things tight, watching his deliveries get smashed to the fence had to sting.

With this collapse, KKR is winless after three matches. That’s their worst opening since 2009.

What This Win Means for LSG’s Playoff Hopes

This match-winning knock from Choudhary might’ve just kept Lucknow’s season alive. With this win, LSG jumped up to fourth, staying right in the playoff mix.

Even more important, it shows LSG’s batting order has real depth—something that could matter a lot when the tournament heats up.