Kolkata Knight Riders finally opened their account in IPL 2026, but not in the manner they would have hoped. Their clash against Punjab Kings ended without a result after persistent rain halted proceedings, handing both teams a point each.
Put in a tricky position after opting to bat first, KKR’s innings never found momentum. Their decision raised eyebrows, especially considering the absence of their key spin duo, Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy. While Narine missed out due to illness, Varun was sidelined with a hand injury from the previous match. It marked the first time since 2019 that KKR played without either of them.
Punjab’s pace attack wasted no time capitalising on the conditions. Arshdeep Singh set the tone early, moving the ball both ways and keeping the batters guessing. Xavier Bartlett then took control with a brilliant display of seam movement. His sharp outswing troubled Finn Allen repeatedly before finally forcing an edge that carried to the keeper.
Bartlett struck again almost immediately. Cameron Green survived a thick outside edge that raced away for four, but the very next delivery found his edge cleanly, sending him back. In a matter of deliveries, KKR slipped from a steady 12 without loss to 16 for 2, leaving Ajinkya Rahane stranded at the crease as wickets fell around him.
As drizzle intensified during the early overs, officials were forced to suspend play. What initially appeared to be a short interruption quickly turned into a prolonged delay. Despite efforts to restart, water accumulation near the boundary and damp patches across the field made it unsafe to resume, even for a shortened contest.
The crowd, which waited patiently for hours, found brief excitement when Shah Rukh Khan appeared on the big screen and later greeted fans from the stands.
With this result, Punjab Kings move to the top of the standings with five points, while several teams remain close behind with four. For KKR, however, concerns remain, particularly around their fragile batting start to the season.
