IPL 2026: KKR pacer credits Rinku Singh's fireworks and Sunil Narine's spell for Kolkata's win over LSG
LUCKNOW: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pacer Vaibhav Arora credited clear planning in the death overs, a strong Powerplay with the ball, and Rinku Singh’s match-defining knock after KKR edged Lucknow Super Giants in a Super Over win at the Ekana Stadium on Sunday. The victory kept KKR’s playoff hopes alive as they registered their second win, with Rinku’s blistering 83 off 51 balls proving crucial in helping the side post a competitive total. Reflecting on the bowling plans in the death overs, Vaibhav said KKR were clear about using the dimensions of the ground and the wind to their advantage.
“One side of the ground was bigger than the other, so we planned to keep the ball outside the off stump, especially since the wind was also blowing towards that side. It wasn’t a big total — you see scores of 200-250 on this ground — and this was just a 156-run target. We bowled nicely in the Powerplay, and after that their required rate kept climbing.
Towards the end, we were clear: if it goes above 10 runs per over, we’ll bring the larger boundary into play,” he said. Vaibhav said Powerplay laid the foundation for KKR’s control over the chase on a surface that was challenging but not unplayable. “The pitch was tough, but not so tough that you can’t chase 155.
I thought we bowled well, especially in the Powerplay where we conceded just 37 and picked up a wicket. That phase gave us momentum, and then we controlled the middle overs very well. We have the best spinners in the IPL — Sunil Narine and Varun — and they showed their quality again,” he said.
The KKR pacer also highlighted the importance of Rinku Singh’s late assault, especially his four sixes in the final over off Digvesh, saying those runs proved decisive. “We won because of Rinku’s innings. Had he not played that knock, we wouldn’t have reached that total.