Manish Pandey repays KKR's faith with MI knockout win: That's why I'm here

Manish Pandey has been waiting almost the entire IPL 2026 season for a proper opportunity with the bat. When Kolkata Knight Riders finally needed someone to sustain a tight chase against Mumbai Indians, the veteran rolled back the years and reminded Eden Gardens exactly why he still carries cult hero status within the franchise.

Pandey’s made 45 off 33 balls helped KKR beat Mumbai Indians by five wickets in a must-win clash on May 20 to keep the defending champions alive in the playoff race of IPL 2026. After spending most of the season in the dugout without getting a chance to bat, the veteran finally came under pressure and performed like so many times during the Gautam Gambhir era.

KKR vs MI: Highlighting | Scorecard

Speaking after receiving the Player of the Match award, Pandey admitted that it was the first real opportunity to bat that he got all season.

“Yes, maybe that’s why I’m still here. It’s definitely a great feeling. KKR have been really nice and kind to me, of course,” Pandey said with a smile while talking about his long association with KKR.

Pandey also admitted that he was desperate to make the chance count once he finally got into the middle.

“Going back to the beginning of the season, this was the only game I really batted, so I was stuffed and waiting to bat, but I didn’t get a chance in the first four games. But I think this was a special game, I wanted to hang in there and hopefully our team wins, and that’s what happened,” he added.

The veteran batsman also spoke about how important it was for him to stay involved with the team despite not featuring regularly in the playing XI this season.

“More importantly for me, if I’m not playing, I definitely want to be a part of this whole team,” Pandey said.

“And whoever wants to ask me anything, I want to help. So I think that’s what I’ve done the whole series.”

HOW MANISH PANDEY’S SPECIAL KEPT KKR ALIVE

Honestly, the innings almost felt like nostalgia of the old KKR.

For long-time KKR fans, Pandey coming out in a tense chase at Eden immediately brought back memories of the 2014 IPL final and several other pressure chases during KKR’s golden era under Gautam Gambhir.

Only this time it was about survival.

After restricting Mumbai Indians to 147 thanks to a disciplined bowling effort, KKR were still reeling slightly in the chase on a tricky Eden Gardens pitch.

Finn Allen started the innings quickly before touching his stumps against Deepak Chahar, while an injury to Angkrish Raghuvanshi during the first innings forced KKR to change their batting order.

That unexpectedly opened the door for Pandey at No. 3. And the veteran immediately restored composure to the chase.

First came the stabilizing partnership with Ajinkya Rahane. This was followed by a crucial 64-run stand with Rovman Powell that effectively broke the pressure of the chase.

Pandey even took on Jasprit Bumrah and Deepak Chahar at key moments, showing glimpses of the confident middle-order aggressor that KKR fans remember from years ago.

In the end, Rinku Singh finished the job with the winning runs as KKR sealed a five-wicket win to move to 13 points, level with the Punjab Kings in the play-offs.

KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane later praised Pandey’s professionalism during a season where opportunities were extremely limited for the veteran.

“Really happy for Manish Pandey,” Rahane said after the match.

“His work ethic, his attitude was fantastic. When you’re not playing, it’s hard on players. But he was great in the group, putting in the hard yards in practice.”

And on a night when KKR simply could not afford to fail, Pandey ultimately repaid that faith perfectly.

– The end

Issued by:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published on:

21 May 2026 01:15 IST