Kamal Ghorui
Shubman Gill’s classy 86 anchored Gujarat Titans to a convincing five-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2026 on Friday, after Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj had earlier set up the victory with a disciplined and incisive new-ball spell. Rabada (3/29) and Siraj (2/23) ripped through the KKR top order, making full use of movement and early assistance from the pitch. Their early breakthroughs left KKR struggling at 37 for 3 in the powerplay, a collapse from which they never fully recovered. Despite the early damage, KKR found resistance through Cameron Green, who played a lone but determined hand with 79 off 55 balls. It was his most impactful innings of the season, featuring controlled aggression and strong partnerships with Rovman Powell and Anukul Roy. However, regular wickets at the other end prevented him from building a match-defining stand. Green also enjoyed a few moments of fortune, surviving an early LBW shout, seeing an edge run away for four, and being dropped on 62 by Washington Sundar. Even so, he continued to keep KKR afloat before eventually falling in the final over to Rashid Khan. In reply, Gujarat Titans seized control early, with Gill dictating terms in the powerplay. He struck three boundaries and a six inside the first three overs, including a crisp straight drive, setting the tone for the chase. Gill paced his innings beautifully thereafter, combining fluency with control. His knock of 86 included eight fours and four sixes, as he ensured GT remained ahead throughout the chase despite occasional wickets. Sai Sudharsan provided early support before Jos Buttler added quick impetus with an aggressive cameo, striking a boundary and a six soon after arriving at the crease. Although KKR managed to pick up wickets in the middle overs, they were unable to build sustained pressure. GT’s batting depth ensured there were no major hiccups as they cruised towards the target. Earlier, KKR’s innings had begun poorly, with Ajinkya Rahane falling for a golden duck to Siraj in the opening over. Rabada then struck twice more, including a sharp outswinger that induced an edge from Angkrish Raghuvanshi and a short-of-a-length dismissal of Tim Seifert, who was caught at point by Glenn Phillips. KKR’s innings never fully recovered from that early blow, setting up Gujarat Titans’ comfortable win.With this win, Gujarat Titans climb to fourth place on the IPL 2026 points table, while Kolkata Knight Riders remain bottom after another defeat.
