History of IPL 2026 Scripts! Kolkata Knight Riders' win over Mumbai Indians marks an all-time record

KKR beat MI by 4 wickets (Pic credit: IPL) NEW DELHI: IPL 2026 wrote another piece of history on Wednesday night as Kolkata Knight Riders’ four-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians became the team’s second-placed batsman’s 42nd win of the season – the highest ever in a single edition of the IPL.The previous record was 41 successful runs during the 2016 season, but with five league matches still remaining in IPL 2026, the current campaign has already surpassed that mark. In 65 games so far this season, teams chasing have won 42 times, meaning that the second batter has won 64.6 percent of the games completed. Excluding the scoreless clash between KKR and Punjab Kings, this percentage further increases to 65.6.Only three IPL seasons have now seen 40 or more straight wins by the chasing teams – 2026, 2016 and 2011 – underscoring a growing trend that has tilted heavily in favor of teams batting second this year.

Most wins are chasing teams in the IPL season

42 in IPL 2026 (65 matches)
41 in IPL 2016 (60 matches)
40 in IPL 2011 (73 matches)

While the record highlights the thrill of successful chases, it has reignited the debate over whether teams batting first increasingly find themselves at a disadvantage in the competition.

KKR will stay alive in the playoff race

On a tricky two-pace pitch at Eden Gardens, Kolkata produced a disciplined bowling effort before posting 148 with four wickets in hand to keep their play-off hopes alive.Asked to bat first by KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane, Mumbai never found the momentum after the early strikes of pacers Saurabh Dubey and Cameron Green, who took two wickets each in their opening spells.Mumbai slumped to 46/4 during the over – the fifth time this season they have lost at least three wickets in the first six overs. Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma added 43 runs but their stand consumed 49 balls and failed to provide the acceleration Mumbai desperately needed.Sunil Narine tightened the screws brilliantly in the middle overs, conceding just 13 runs from four overs, while late sixes from Corbin Bosch helped Mumbai to 147/8.KKR’s chase also got off to a shaky start after Finn Allen fell in the opening over. Rahane and Green departed early after Mumbai threatened an upset.However, veteran campaigner Manish Pandey and Rovman Powell steadied the innings with a close partnership that ultimately decided the contest.Playing his first match of the season, Pandey hit a decisive 45 and later admitted that the innings meant a lot to him.“This is the only time I have batted this season. I was stuffed and waiting to bat, this is special for me,” he said.Powell’s aggressive stroke play complemented Pandey’s calm approach before Rinku Singh completed the chase to ensure KKR stayed alive in the playoffs.