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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) kept their IPL 2026 playoff hopes alive with an impressive 29-run win over Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday (May 16). Kolkata Knight Riders were almost out of the playoff race after five consecutive losses in the tournament, but they made a strong comeback with five wins in the last 6 matches.
Earlier this season, KKR’s match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Kolkata was washed out due to rain. They are now back in the race for the IPL 2026 playoffs. They are placed seventh in the table with 11 points after 12 matches so far this season.
Kolkata Knight Riders are back in the race for IPL 2026 playoffs with thrilling win over Gujarat Titans
But his net run rate is still negative. On Saturday, the three-time IPL champions successfully defended 247 runs, scoring 218 runs in their 20 overs at the Eden Gardens.
This 29-run win over Gujarat Titans at the Eden Gardens was a big boost for the Ajinkya Rahane-led Kolkata Knight Riders, especially after a poor start to the season.
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Kolkata Knight Riders have now won five of their last six matches and are slowly finding their way back into IPL 2026 playoff contention.
Even though they are still seventh in the points table, they are very much alive in the race. Chennai Super Kings is just one point ahead so the difference is not very big.
What does KKR need to qualify for IPL 2026 playoffs?
But KKR’s path to the playoffs is still very difficult. They now have only two matches left to make it to the top four this season. Their washout match against PBKS has now become a big problem as Kolkata cannot reach 16 points now. Even if KKR wins both their remaining games, they may finish with only 15 points in the table.
Now, Kolkata Knight Riders need to defeat both Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals in their last two matches on May 20 and 24 respectively. Along with this, they also need other results to go in their favor. They will be hoping that Chennai Super Kings lose at least one of their remaining two matches, while Rajasthan Royals will also have to lose two of their remaining three matches to overtake Kolkata in the race.
There is another big issue for KKR and that is the net run rate as they are still behind some teams in that department. So, the big win against GT has brought hope back to Kolkata but now they need two more wins and some help from other teams to complete a dramatic turnaround in IPL 2026.
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Ajinkya Rahane wants KKR to keep things simple amid mounting pressure of IPL 2026 playoffs
On the constant buzz over playoff prospects, KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane said the team is just focusing on one match at a time and trying to keep things simple in these pressure times.
At the post-match presentation, Rahane said, “The conversation was about focusing on one game at a time. We know the scenario where we stand at the moment. So, it’s simple. And as I said earlier, cricket is a game. When you keep it really simple, don’t complicate it; that’s what works most for you.”