IPL 2026 [WATCH]: Ajinkya Rahane launches a bizarre six as his bat slips mid-shot during KKR vs LSG encounter

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 continues to deliver high-octane drama, and the 15th match at the iconic Eden Gardens was no exception. On the evening of April 9, 2026, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) hosted the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in a clash that featured one of the most surreal moments in the tournament’s history. While the scorecard reflects a nail-biting finish, the highlight reels will forever be dominated by a disappearing bat act from KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane that defied the laws of physics.

Ajinkya Rahane hits a freak six even as his bat slips mid-swing 

The capacity crowd at Eden Gardens witnessed a moment of pure cricketing comedy and brilliance during the ninth over of the KKR innings. Facing LSG’s pace spearhead Avesh Khan, Rahane was looking to accelerate. On the first delivery of the 8th over (8.1), Avesh steamed in and delivered a hard, back-of-a-length ball outside the off stump.

Rahane, intent on punishing the width, threw his hands at the delivery with maximum intent. However, the sheer force of his swing—combined perhaps with a bit of humidity-induced sweat, caused the bat to fly out of his hands the moment he made contact. In a bizarre visual, Rahane’s bat spun high into the air toward the square leg region, while the ball took a completely different trajectory. Despite the lack of a firm grip at the point of impact, the timing was so sweet that the ball soared over the backward point boundary for a six.

The commentators were left in stitches as Rahane stood empty-handed, watching the ball land beyond the ropes while his bat lay several yards away. It was a ‘hit-and-release’ shot that perfectly summarized Rahane’s aggressive 41 off 24 balls, helping KKR recover from the early loss of Finn Allen to post a formidable 181/4. Contributions from Angkrish Raghuvanshi (45) and a late-inning flourish from Rovman Powell (39) ensured the hosts had a winning total on the board.

Here’s the video:

𝘽𝙖𝙩 𝙜𝙤𝙣𝙚, 𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙤…😅

Ajinkya Rahane just proved that you don’t even need to be holding the bat to clear the ropes 🙌#TATAIPL 2026 | #KKRvLSG | LIVE NOW 👉 https://t.co/2ISFQDaiMT pic.twitter.com/EDttpB8Utl

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) April 9, 2026

Also READ: Fans brutally troll Rishabh Pant after flop show in KKR vs LSG IPL 2026 clash

LSG pulls off a thrilling win against KKR in last-ball finish

Despite Rahane’s acrobatic fireworks, the night ultimately belonged to the Lucknow Super Giants, who orchestrated a heist for the ages. Chasing 182, LSG appeared to be in deep trouble as KKR’s spinners, led by the ever-reliable Sunil Narine (1/13 in 4 overs), choked the middle order. When Mohammed Shami fell in the 16th over, LSG was reeling at 128/7, needing 54 runs from the final 24 deliveries with only the tail for company.

Enter the Impact Player, Mukul Choudhary. In a performance that will go down in LSG folklore, Choudhary took the KKR attack to the cleaners. While Ayush Badoni (54 off 34) had laid the foundation, Choudhary provided the finishing touch with a blistering 54 off just 27 balls, including 7 massive sixes.

The match came down to the final over with LSG needing to navigate a slow over-rate penalty imposed on KKR. With an extra fielder inside the circle, Choudhary and Avesh held their nerves. In a heart-stopping finale, LSG managed to scamper for the winning runs on the very last ball of the match, finishing at 182/7. Choudhary was rightfully named Player of the Match, securing a 3-wicket victory that propelled LSG up to the 5th spot on the points table, leaving the Eden Gardens faithful in stunned silence.

Also READ: Fans go wild as Mukul Choudhary’s late blitz powers LSG to thrilling win over KKR in IPL 2026