Even though Eden Gardens is usually the fortress of the home team, the Kolkata Knight Riders, but on Thursday (April 9) night, they found a new muse in a 21-year-old from Lucknow. Uncapped wicketkeeper batter Mukul Choudhary earned a moment of validation that has become the definitive image of IPL 2026.
As the final bye was scampered and the scoreboard confirmed LSG’s three-wicket heist over KKR, the cameras pivoted away from the celebrating dugout to a rare sight. LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka, often known for his intense, businessman-like demeanor in the stands, rushed onto the turf to envelope Mukul in a fatherly embrace.
The viral clip, showing Goenka cupping the youngster’s face and whispering words of praise, has sent social media into a frenzy. It was a franchise owner acknowledging the birth of perhaps a future superstar.
Mukul Choudhary tried to touch Sanjiv Goenka’s feet after the match, but Sanjiv Goenka stopped him and hugged and kissed him on the forehead. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/6RQ21NumDW
— Suprvirat (@Mostlykohli) April 9, 2026
The Heist: From 128/7 to a Last-Ball Thriller
For 16 overs, the script belonged to Kolkata. Despite a gritty 54 from Ayush Badoni, KKR’s Vaibhav Arora and Anukul Roy had dismantled the LSG middle order. At 128/7, with the asking rate climbing into the stratosphere, the contest looked done and dusted.
Then came the Mukul Choudhary storm.
The Stat: Playing only his third IPL game, Mukul smashed 54 off 27 balls*.
The Assault: He scored 52 of those runs in his final 19 deliveries.
The Sixes: Seven towering maximums, including a breathtaking counter-attack against the pace of Cameron Green and Kartik Tyagi.
With 14 needed off the final over, Mukul remained ice-cold. Despite a couple of dot balls amping up the tension, he levelled the scores, allowing LSG to steal the winning run on the very last delivery.
“I believe in myself so much that I knew if I stayed till the end, I could take us home,” a humble Mukul said after the match. “God gave me this opportunity, and I just tried to do what I can do.”
KKR left stunned at home
Earlier, the Knight Riders had posted a formidable 181/4. Angkrish Raghuvanshi (45) and veteran Ajinkya Rahane (41) provided the foundation, while a late-innings flourish from Rovman Powell (39)* and Cameron Green (32)* seemed to have put the game out of reach.
However, their death bowling the lacked the bite. Navdeep Saini conceded 37 runs in his 3 overs while Green went for 28 runs off his 2.