Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata
Kolkata, May 17: Kolkata Knight Riders produced a dominant all-round batting performance to defeat Gujarat Titans by 29 runs in a run-fest at Eden Gardens, snapping GT’s five-match winning streak in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.
Chasing a massive target of 248, Gujarat Titans were powered by a brilliant 85 from skipper Shubman Gill and a fluent 57 from Jos Buttler, but ultimately fell short as they finished at 218/4 despite a strong start.
Earlier, KKR posted a towering 247/2, driven by explosive knocks from Finn Allen (93 off 35 balls), Angkrish Raghuvanshi (82 not out), and Cameron Green (52 not out), with GT’s sloppy fielding proving costly throughout the innings.
Gill and Sai Sudharsan gave Gujarat a solid foundation with a quick opening stand, but Sudharsan had to retire hurt after being struck on the elbow. Buttler then joined Gill to keep the chase alive, with the pair taking GT to 177/1 in 16 overs and seemingly in control of the match.
However, the turning point came when Sunil Narine dismissed Gill at a crucial stage, breaking GT’s momentum. Narine’s tight spell of 2/29, combined with disciplined death bowling from KKR, ensured the visitors could not recover in the final overs.
For KKR, Finn Allen’s blistering innings set the tone early. Despite being dropped twice, he punished the GT attack with ten sixes and a strike rate above 260, dismantling both pace and spin during his stay at the crease.
He was later supported by Raghuvanshi, who played the innings of his career with an unbeaten 82, and Cameron Green, who added late fireworks with an unbeaten 52. The duo’s unbroken partnership pushed KKR to one of the highest team totals of the season.
GT’s bowling unit struggled to contain the assault, with Mohammed Siraj and R Sai Kishore picking up one wicket each but conceding heavily.
With this win, KKR climbed to sixth place on the points table and remained in contention for a playoff spot, while Gujarat Titans saw their winning momentum come to a halt after a dominant run of form.