Kolkata Knight Riders suffered a significant setback midway through their IPL 2026 clash against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium, as skipper Ajinkya Rahane was forced off the field with an injury scare. The incident unfolded at the end of the fourth over in the second innings. As Varun Chakravarthy prepared to begin his over, Rahane suddenly went down on the field, visibly in discomfort.
The match was halted briefly as the physio rushed in to assess the situation. Unable to continue, Ajinkya Rahane walked off the field with a noticeable limp, leaving KKR in a challenging position during a crucial phase of the game. Manish Pandey was brought in as a substitute fielder.
In Ajinkya Rahane’s absence, vice-captain Rinku Singh stepped in to lead the side. While Rinku has shown leadership potential in domestic cricket, this moment presented a high-pressure test in a marquee IPL encounter.
ALSO READ: Dewald Brevis To Miss CSK’s IPL 2026 Opening Game Due To Injury
Earlier in the match, KKR had put themselves in a commanding position with the bat, posting an imposing total of 220 runs. Ajinkya Rahane led from the front with a composed half-century, supported well by Finn Allen at the top. Contributions from Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Rinku Singh further powered the innings past the 200-run mark.
Injury for Rahane pic.twitter.com/f4uGKPznfs
— Nickk Knight (@KnightNick34590) March 29, 2026
However, the Mumbai Indians responded strongly in the chase. Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton provided a solid start, both notching up half-centuries and helping MI race past the 100-run mark in quick time.
As the game progressed, the momentum shifted towards the home side. While KKR’s batting unit had delivered, their bowling attack struggled to contain the flow of runs.
ALSO READ: Netizens Hail Shardul Thakur’s Impact Spell As MI Hit Back Against KKR
Bowlers including Vaibhav Arora, Blessing Muzarabani, Kartik Tyagi, Varun Chakravarthy, and Sunil Narine all conceded runs at an economy rate exceeding 11. Ajinkya Rahane’s absence in such a critical phase only compounded KKR’s challenges, as MI capitalised on the situation to seize control of the contest.
