Gujarat Titans once again proved why they sit comfortably atop the points table, registering a dominant 39-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Ahmedabad. A clinical batting effort led by Shubman Gill‘s classy 90 and B Sai Sudharsan’s composed 52, followed by a collective bowling masterclass, saw GT post 198 for 3 and then restrict KKR to just 159 for 8.
Calm Start, Explosive Finish
Despite a conservative beginning — just 45 runs in the powerplay — GT’s top three once again laid the foundation, accounting for a staggering 183 runs among them. Gill and Sudharsan stitched a fluent 114-run opening partnership, carefully navigating a tricky pitch that didn’t offer easy stroke-making.
Gill, who began with 6 off 11, shifted gears post-powerplay, punishing Moeen Ali and Varun Chakravarthy with elegance and precision. Sudharsan complemented perfectly, launching his assault on Harshit Rana and Chakravarthy, racing to a fifty in 33 balls — a ball quicker than Gill.
Buttler Delivers the Finishing Blow
After Sudharsan fell to an Andre Russell short ball, Jos Buttler carried on the momentum with a quickfire 41* off 23, cracking three consecutive boundaries off Russell. Gill missed out on a well-deserved century, but GT managed 85 runs in the last eight overs, thanks to Buttler and a cameo from Shahrukh Khan.
Titans’ Bowling Outclasses KKR
Chasing 199, KKR’s innings faltered early with Mohammed Siraj delivering a peach to dismiss Rahmanullah Gurbaz first ball. Although Ajinkya Rahane looked solid during his 50 off 36, the rest of the batting lineup crumbled under pressure.
Sunil Narine and Venkatesh Iyer struggled to rotate strike, with the latter crawling to 14 off 19. Andre Russell showed glimpses of his power with a four and a six, but smart spin from R Sai Kishore and Rashid Khan extinguished any hopes of a comeback.
Purple Cap Watch
Prasidh Krishna continued his dream run with the ball, claiming 2 for 25 and extending his Purple Cap lead to 16 wickets this season.
Strategic Masterclass
GT’s approach — steady starts, calculated acceleration, and relying on a versatile bowling unit — mirrors the golden era of Chennai Super Kings. They’ve now reaffirmed that patience and process can trump recklessness, especially on trickier surfaces.
With this emphatic win, Gujarat Titans solidify their top position, while KKR are left searching for answers, particularly in their misfiring top order.
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