'We Had to Get Across the Line': Shane Watson Reveals Why Kolkata Knight Riders Abandoned NRR Chase

Kolkata Knight Riders assistant coach Shane Watson admitted the Eden Gardens surface against Mumbai Indians was unlike anything the team had encountered at home this season, forcing them to prioritise victory over net run rate in their must-win IPL 2026 clash.

With KKR needing both points and a healthy margin of victory to strengthen their playoff chances, many expected the hosts to attack aggressively during the chase. Instead, they took a more measured route before eventually securing the win.

According to Watson, the pitch conditions made any thoughts of a rapid chase unrealistic.

"There was a little bit of moisture in the surface. Obviously, there's been a bit of rain around and it's been very humid the last few days here as well," Watson said after the match.

"We sort of sensed that that was probably going to be the chance, that the wicket was going to play a little bit different to what we've had here throughout the season."

'No batter could get into their flow'

The former Australian all-rounder said the surface never allowed batters to settle, creating a contest that demanded constant adaptation.

"In the end, it wasn't the easiest pitch to be able to bat on, as you can see - no one really got into their flow too much and there was always something happening throughout the whole game," Watson explained.

"It ended up being a pretty tense dugout in the end for us."

Watson felt the game showcased batting skill despite the absence of a high-scoring spectacle often associated with Eden Gardens.

"It was actually quite a good game of cricket, it wasn't a 250 versus 250, but there was certainly more than enough skill on display from the batters, having to adapt to the turning conditions, the slower conditions. So, it was a different challenge for all batters tonight."

Injury setback influenced Kolkata Knight Riders approach

KKR's plans were further complicated when Angkrish Raghuvanshi was forced off the field after colliding with Varun Chakaravarthy while attempting a catch.

Watson revealed the youngster suffered neck pain, dizziness and headaches following the incident.

"Angkrish ran a long way to be able to try and get that catch. Unfortunately, the collision that he had with Varun Chakaravarthy meant that he ended up having some neck pain, a bit of dizziness and a bit of a headache within a couple of overs of that as well," Watson said.

"He wasn't able to finish off the game and I know how desperate he was as well. He's as tough a competitor as I've ever met."

Without Raghuvanshi available in the chase, KKR focused on securing the win rather than chasing an ambitious net run rate target.

"Knowing that we didn't have Angkrish Raghuvanshi batting at three and keeping the conditions in mind, we just had to make sure we did everything we could to get across the line as a starting point," Watson said.

"In a perfect world, we would have been able to chase it down in 16 overs, but it just wasn't that pitch tonight."

Watson also acknowledged the quality of Mumbai's attack, led by several international stars.

"You could see the Mumbai Indians bowlers, they've got some world-class bowlers in there as well. So, it was always going to be a bit challenging."

With the victory keeping KKR mathematically alive in the playoff race, Watson insisted the priority was simple.

"For us, the most important thing was to be able to keep our dreams alive. We know that things could be a bit different when we go into our last game on Sunday."