The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) suffered a crushing three-wicket defeat against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in a last-ball thriller at the Eden Gardens on Thursday.
Despite having LSG reeling at 128/7, the home side failed to close the game as rookie sensation Mukul Choudhary played a blinding knock of 54* off just 27 balls to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. However, the post-match talk was dominated by KKR’s Rovman Powell, who expressed frustration over a controversial umpiring decision that arguably altered the momentum of the KKR innings.
The incident occurred during the dismissal of KKR opener Finn Allen. The New Zealander’s top-edge was caught by Digvesh Rathi at deep third man, but replays suggested Rathi’s toes might have grazed the boundary rope. To the disbelief of the KKR camp, on-field umpires Adrian Holdstock and Akshay Totre ruled it a clean catch without referring it to the third umpire. Powell termed the decision a “blunder,” noting that in the IPL, officials usually go upstairs for far less significant incidents. “We thought we had seen the umpires go upstairs for things that are not as close as that,” Powell remarked during the media interaction.
Beyond the officiating, Powell also highlighted the uncharacteristic nature of the Eden Gardens pitch. Known for being a batter’s paradise, the surface on Thursday appeared sluggish, making stroke-making difficult. Powell noted that the wicket wasn’t a “classic 220-run track” and rewarded bowlers who utilized slower variations effectively. While KKR posted a competitive 181/4, Powell admitted they likely fell 20 runs short of the total they could have achieved had the controversial dismissal not disrupted their top-order flow.
With this loss, KKR finds themselves in a precarious position with just one point from four matches. Despite the winless streak at home, Powell remains optimistic about a comeback. Citing IPL history where teams often find their rhythm in the middle stages, the West Indian powerhouse insisted that KKR’s destiny remains in their own hands with ten games still to play. The team now faces an uphill battle to regain their “fortress” status at Eden Gardens and climb the points table.