Scores in brief: Gujarat Titans (181/5 in 19.4 overs) beat Kolkata Knight Riders (180-all out in 20 overs) by five wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
GT vs KKR: HIGHLIGHTS | SCORECARD
So close, yet so far for Kolkata Knight Riders. After winning the toss, they failed to make it count and slipped to yet another defeat to remain winless after six games this season. Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans continued their revival and rode on Shubman Gill’s assured 86 to seal a hard-fought victory.
Kolkata needed Cameron Green to anchor the innings and he delivered a composed 79, but the lack of support from the other end proved costly. Regular wickets halted their progress and left them with a total that looked competitive but not enough.
However, KKR refused to walk away. They responded with discipline, slowing down Gujarat through the middle overs and deepening the game. For a moment it looked like the pressure might tell.
But Gill’s work at the top had already given Gujarat the cushion they needed. He set up the chase smoothly and with clarity before reaching a hundred. His dismissal briefly opened the door and KKR pushed hard, picking up wickets and forcing a nervy finish.
In the end, Rahul Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan kept their cool to take Gujarat home in the final over, sealing a five-wicket win and a third win in a row.
Chasing 181 for their third straight win, Gujarat Titans set the tone early through Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan. There was no slow start. Gill immediately looked to control it, finding gaps along the offside and then stepping out to plant one cleanly over cover. He moved to 22 off 9 and didn’t feel rushed. It was a clean shot, good placement and very little risk.
Sudharsan matched this intention. When Anukul Roy entered the attack, he immediately went after him. A pickup over square leg was followed by a solid strike over midwicket, two shots that kept the pressure on KKR and took Gujarat to 40 for no loss in three overs. The difference in conditions was clear then. The ball went better under the lights and with the dew around it looked a lot easier to hit than before.
KKR found a way to break the opening stand through Sunil Narine who read Sudharsan’s approach well. He flicked one quicker across the goal, got an extra bounce and forced a foul. Sudharsan went for the sweep again but only managed a top edge to short fine leg. That gave KKR a wicket but Gujarat were still well ahead at 57-1 in 5.1 overs.
Jos Buttler kept the pace going. He used his legs to drive Narine offside and then cleared the same area for a six. Even when Narine beat him with the faster ball, Buttler got enough of it to get by. Gujarat Titans closed the power play at 71 for 1 with the chase firmly in control and no pressure on the batsmen.
KKR managed to pull things back a bit when Varun Chakravarthy dismissed Buttler. With 86 needed from 66 balls, Buttler tried to go straight but fell short and was caught at long-on. Gujarat were 95 for 2 in 9.1 overs and for a brief moment KKR had a chance to apply some pressure.
That window remained small as Gill never let the game drift. After his fast start, he shifted into gear, focusing on his strike rotation and keeping the scoreboard moving. He didn’t force shots, but he didn’t allow the pitchers to score either. His fifty came off 27 balls and more importantly kept Gujarat comfortably ahead of the required odds.
Chakravarthy struck again when Washington Sundar mistimed a pull and was caught on the square leg boundary for 13 off 13. Things didn’t change much after that either. The third-wicket stand added 46 in 32 balls and Gujarat were still in control of the chase.
Glenn Phillips came up with the required 40 from 33 balls. With Gill set and the required course under control, Gujarat Titans had the game in their hands and only needed a steady finish.
Gill fell for 86 after a sharp, low catch at deep third off Cameron Green. He ran in and dove forward, completing the catch just inches off the ground. Trying to go offside, Gill sliced a full delivery from Vaibhav Arora and picked out the fielder. He left visibly frustrated as he knew he missed out on a hundred.
Even when Gill fell, the outcome was never in doubt. Gujarat Titans did enough early to take the game deep on their terms and finished it without drama. Three wins from three now for GT while KKR remain stuck and still looking for their first breakthrough this season.
GREEN FIRM, KKR LOSS OF CONTROL
Earlier, Cameron Green played a key role in holding Kolkata Knight Riders together, but they couldn’t build enough around him and were bowled out for 180.
KKR lost their first wickets and never fully recovered from that start. Mohammed Siraj removed Ajinkya Rahane for a golden duck and Kagiso Rabada followed it up by dismissing Angkrish Raghuvanshi with a good outswing. This put KKR under pressure in the powerplay and forced them to rebuild.
Tim Seifert tried to counter-attack with a couple of boundaries and a six, but Rabada used the short ball to dismiss him and Phillips took the catch. at that stage KKR needed stability and Green provided it.
He started cautiously, focused on staying in the crease, and once he settled down he started to open up. He found boundaries regularly and helped KKR recover through partnerships with Rovman Powell and Anukul Roy. These stands brought KKR back into the game and gave them a chance to push towards a stronger unit.
Green also handled Rashid Khan well during this phase, picking his variations and scoring against him. He had a bit of luck along the way, surviving an lbw appeal, getting a boundary off the edge and Sundar dropping him for 62. He made those moments count and carried the innings forward.
However, KKR lost control at the end. They lost five wickets in 22 balls and Green was left without enough strike during this phase. Prasidh Krishna kept things tight in the death overs, hitting his lengths and not allowing easy scoring.
The final ending summed it up. Rashid came back and found his rhythm. Green missed a couple of big shots and then took one that revealed Vaibhav Arora. Confusion ensued after that, including a missed stumping and four byes, but KKR never reached the desired target.
Off the last ball, Green went for another big shot, overstepped it and was caught behind as KKR were bowled out for 180.
His 79 off 55 balls held the innings together, but with little support and poor finishing, the total always felt slightly short on a pitch that was easier to bat on.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
17 Apr 2026 23:30 IST
