In an exciting encounter, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) fell short of chasing down Gujarat Titans’ target of 199 runs, managing only 159 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in 20 overs. Gujarat Titans emerged victorious by a margin of 39 runs, securing another significant win in the ongoing season.
KKR began their chase with openers Gurbaz and Narine, who started aggressively but couldn’t sustain the momentum. Gurbaz was dismissed for a duck in the first over, LBW to a delivery from Gujarat’s bowler. Captain Ajinkya Rahane joined the crease but faced tight bowling from Gujarat, which limited KKR’s ability to score freely. At the end of the fifth over, KKR had reached 42 runs for the loss of one wicket.
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Despite Rahane and Venkatesh Iyer’s efforts to steady the ship, KKR lost their second wicket when Narine (17) was caught by Rahul Tewatia. Iyer (14) was dismissed soon after, with KKR now at 84/3.
KKR’s middle order struggled under pressure, with Russell hitting a quick 4 and 6 but falling for just 21 runs. At the 13-over mark, KKR were 101/4, needing a significant partnership to stay in the game. Rahane, the top scorer for KKR with 50 runs off 36 balls, was dismissed shortly after. The KKR lower order crumbled, with Raman Deep Singh (1), Moeen Ali (duck), and Rinku Singh (17) also losing their wickets.
Gujarat’s bowlers, led by Rashid Khan and Prasidh Krishna, took 2 wickets each, while Siraj, Washington Sundar, Sai Kishore, and Ishant Sharma all claimed a wicket each. Their combined efforts helped Gujarat secure a comfortable 39-run victory, while KKR’s batting line-up failed to deliver under pressure.