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In an absolute run-fest marking the 100th TATA IPL match at Eden Gardens, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) kept their playoff hopes alive with a commanding 29-run victory over Gujarat Titans (GT) in match 60 of the season.
The KKR batting trio delivered an outstanding masterpiece in aggressive, modern-day T20 cricket. Despite losing Ajinkya Rahane early on, Finn Allen alone decimated the GT bowling line-up. He went utterly insane during the field limitations, scoring an incredible 93 off only 35 balls, including 10 monster sixes. Following his departure, KKR’s Mr. Consistent, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, kept the innings together flawlessly before accelerating aggressively at the end to finish undefeated on 82 off 44 balls. Cameron Green added a blazing 52 off 28 balls to cap an unbroken 108-run stand. Their combined efforts capitalised on GT’s shoddy fielding, resulting in a huge 247/2.
Faced with a high target of 248, GT gave it their all but eventually succumbed to the scoreboard pressure. Skipper Shubman Gill led from the front, scoring a dominating 85 off 49 balls and blasting seven sixes to keep GT in the game deep into the middle overs. He found an excellent companion in Jos Buttler, who kept the chase alive with a tenacious 57 from 35 balls. Even Sai Sudharsan, who had to leave with an elbow injury, recovered to hit a quick 53 off 28 balls*. However, the sheer weight of the 248-run target meant that, despite reaching a magnificent 218/4, they frequently found themselves barely short of the needed run rate, particularly when Gill was dismissed in the 17th over.
Defending a mountain of runs, KKR’s bowling attack was put to the test early on as GT’s top order began a powerful counterattack. On a field where most bowlers leaked more than 11 runs per over, with Kartik Tyagi going for 59 and Varun Chakaravarthy leaking 47, the experienced Sunil Narine proved to be the difference-maker. In his 200th IPL match, Narine bowled a brilliant, ice-cold performance of 2/29 in 4 overs, slowing GT’s momentum and capturing the important wicket of a dangerous Gill. At the death, uncapped bowler Saurabh Dubey produced a wonderfully disciplined 19th over, dismissing Buttler with immaculate yorkers to put the match mathematically out of GT’s grasp.
It was a night to forget for Gujarat Titans’ bowling and fielding teams. Mohammed Siraj gave an early spark by clean-bowling Rahane out, but things rapidly got out of hand. Rashid, GT’s biggest weapon, had an extraordinarily expensive night, being pounded for 57 runs in four overs without a wicket, while Siraj surrendered 50. Sai Kishore was the only other wicket-taker, taking Finn Allen’s reward, but he also allowed 38 runs in three overs.
On a night when over 500 runs were scored and six individual batters hit 50 or more runs, Sunil Narine became match-winner in his 200th IPL match, bowling a masterpiece stint of 2/29 to limit GT’s flying chase. With this win, KKR remain in contention for the playoffs.
Scorecard:
Kolkata Knight Riders: 247/2, Over 20, Finn Allen 93, Sai Kishore 1/38
Gujarat Titans: 218/4, Over 20, Shubman Gill 85, Sunil Narine 2/29
The post IPL 2026 KKR vs GT: KKR keep playoff hopes alive despite Gill’s heroic counter-attack appeared first on SportsMint Media.