KKR IPL 2026: Kolkata Knight Riders finally got something to smile about in IPL 2026. On Sunday, April 19, the team beat Rajasthan Royals by four wickets at Eden Gardens and picked up its first win of the season. KKR chased 155 and reached 161/6 in 19.4 overs. The big hero was vice-captain Rinku Singh, who stayed unbeaten on 53 and finished the match in style.
The chase got very tense at the end. KKR needed 9 runs from the last over. Rinku hit back-to-back fours on the first two balls of Brijesh Sharma’s over, which quickly brought the match level. Then on the fourth ball, he smashed a six. That shot not only won the game for KKR but also brought up his half-century. It was a pressure moment and Rinku handled it beautifully.
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KKR’s results in IPL 2026
| DATE | RESULT | MARGIN | AGAINST | VENUE |
| March 29 | Defeat | 6 wickets | Mumbai Indians | Mumbai (WS) |
| April 2 | Defeat | 65 runs | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Kolkata |
| April 6 | No result | – | Punjab Kings | Kolkata |
| April 9 | Defeat | 3 wickets | Lucknow Super Giants | Kolkata |
| April 14 | Defeat | 32 runs | Chennai Super Kings | Chennai |
| April 17 | Defeat | 5 wickets | Gujarat Titans | Ahmedabad |
| April 19 | Win | 4 wickets | Rajasthan Royals | Kolkata |
KKR’s First Victory of IPL 2026
It was KKR’s first victory of IPL 2026 after a very bad start. The result kept the team alive in the playoff race, at least for now. Before this match, Kolkata had only 1 point from six games. After beating Rajasthan, they moved to 3 points from seven matches. ESPNcricinfo’s points table before the match showed KKR at the bottom, while match reports after the game confirmed this was their first win of the season.
The win also gave KKR some hope for the rest of the season. They now have seven league matches left. If Ajinkya Rahane’s side wins all seven, they can finish with 17 points. In most IPL seasons, that kind of total is enough to stay in the top four race. If KKR had lost to Rajasthan Royals, their maximum possible points total would have been only 15, and that number may not have been enough to reach the playoffs.
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KKR’s upcoming matches in IPL 2026
| DATE | DAY | AGAINST | VENUE | START TIME (IST) |
| April 26 | Sunday | Lucknow Super Giants | Lucknow | 07:30 PM |
| May 3 | Sunday | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Hyderabad | 03:30 PM |
| May 8 | Friday | Delhi Capitals | Delhi | 07:30 PM |
| May 13 | Wednesday | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Raipur | 07:30 PM |
| May 16 | Saturday | Gujarat Titans | Kolkata | 07:30 PM |
| May 20 | Wednesday | Mumbai Indians | Kolkata | 07:30 PM |
| May 24 | Sunday | Delhi Capitals | Kolkata | 07:30 PM |
What Comes Next for Kolkata Knight Riders?
KKR now move into the next stage of their season with a little confidence at last. Their next match is against Lucknow Super Giants on April 26. After that, they will face Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 3 and Delhi Capitals on May 8.
Then they meet Royal Challengers Bengaluru on May 13 before playing their final three league games at Eden Gardens against Gujarat Titans on May 16, Mumbai Indians on May 20, and Delhi Capitals on May 24.
