A scintillating half-century from Mukul Choudhary powered Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to a dramatic three-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Eden Gardens on Thursday. The 21-year-old struck 54 not out off 27 deliveries as Lucknow chased down 182 despite being precariously placed at 128 for 7 with four overs remaining. Choudhary's innings, laced with seven sixes and two boundaries, turned the match on its head.
He hammered seven sixes and two fours, targeting Vaibhav Arora and Kartik Tyagi in successive overs before unleashing another assault on Cameron Green in the 19th over. Choudhary fittingly finished the chase with two towering sixes in the final over, capping a remarkable innings under pressure.
𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓. 𝐀. 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐂𝐊 🤯
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 9, 2026
Mukul Choudhary was absolutely brilliant in Kolkata 👏
He pulls off a famous heist for @LucknowIPL 🔥🔥
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/ov5gAlAtPH #TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #KKRvLSG pic.twitter.com/CXo53CQmLf
"My journey started when my father was not even married, his dream was (that) his son has to play cricket. I started at the age group level but there were not good academies in Sikkim. I played matches in Delhi and Guragaon and that helped me,” Choudhary said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
"God has given me this opportunity, there can be pressure but it is also an opportunity to make a name for myself. My aim was to bat till the last and see what happens. Even I liked the first six, I had not scored a single six in two games, so the first one was special. In my mind I knew one out of the four balls would be in the slot and I was just waiting for it. From younger days I like hitting sixes and not playing along the ground," he added.
Who Is Mukul Choudhary?
Hailing from Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan, the right-handed batter has featured in only seven other top-level T20 matches but drew significant attention at last year's auction, where he was snapped up for Rs 2.6 crore after a bidding tussle involving LSG, Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals.
Once Choudhary's father had secured financial stability through his roles as a teacher and later in the real estate and hospitality sectors, he invested in his son's cricketing future by enrolling him at the SBS Cricket Academy in Sikar, Rajasthan. Mukul then shifted to Jaipur to continue his training at the Aravali Cricket Academy, with his family moving alongside him to aid his progress.
The youngster debuted in first-class cricket against Chhattisgarh in January 2023, managing 103 runs in four outings with a top score of 45. His T20 introduction came in October the same year against Jharkhand, where he struck 35 at the top of the order. Since then, he has compiled 226 runs in seven matches in the format, averaging 37.66, with an unbeaten 62 as his highest.
Having begun his career as a medium pacer, he transitioned into a wicketkeeper and eventually carved out a reputation as an aggressive batter. It is not a coincidence that MS Dhoni is one of his inspirations.
Choudhary's impressive showing in the 2025–26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy played a key role in driving up his auction price, finishing with 173 runs in five innings at an eye-catching strike rate of 198.85.
LSG coach Justin Langer had already underlined Mukul Choudhary's potential before IPL 2026, tipping him as a future match-winner in the lower middle order. Langer had said he could become one of India's most formidable No 6 or No 7 batters.
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