In a historic match on Wednesday night, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) defeated the Mumbai Indians, achieving their 42nd win of the season while batting second in IPL 2026. This victory set a new record for the most successful chases in a single IPL season, surpassing the previous high of 41 wins in 2016. So far, 64.6% of matches this season have been won by teams batting second, a trend that raises questions about the effectiveness of batting first. KKR's win was crucial for their playoff chances, as they chased down a target of 148 runs with four wickets in hand. Mumbai's innings faltered early, with their batsmen struggling against KKR's disciplined bowling, particularly during the powerplay where they lost four wickets for just 46 runs. Manish Pandey, making his season debut, played a key role in the chase, scoring 45 runs and stabilizing the innings alongside Rovman Powell. KKR's victory not only highlights their resilience but also emphasizes the growing dominance of teams batting second in the tournament.