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Gujarat Titans Triumph in Kolkata
Captain Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan showcased their batting prowess, leading the Gujarat Titans to a commanding 39-run victory over the Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on Monday. Their stellar opening partnership laid the foundation for GT's total of 198 for three, a target that proved too steep for the home side, who ended their innings at 159 for eight. This win marks GT's sixth of the IPL 2025 season.
KKR's decision to bowl first initially seemed promising as they kept the GT openers relatively quiet in the powerplay. However, Gill (90 off 55 balls, including 10 fours and 3 sixes) unleashed his aggressive intent in the seventh over, taking Moeen Ali for 17 runs. He continued his fluent strokeplay, delighting the Kolkata crowd with elegant cuts and powerful pulls on his former home ground.
The in-form Sai Sudharsan (52 off 36 balls, with 6 fours and 1 six) provided excellent support, displaying his ability to find gaps on the off-side and execute strong hits on the on-side. The duo's 114-run partnership frustrated the KKR bowlers in the humid conditions.
Andre Russell eventually broke the stand, dismissing Sudharsan. Gill then forged another crucial partnership of 58 runs with Jos Buttler (41 not out off 23 balls), who was given two reprieves by the KKR fielders. Despite missing out on a century after being dismissed by a Vaibhav Arora full-toss, Gill's brilliant innings set up a challenging target for KKR.
KKR's chase faltered early as Mohammed Siraj trapped Rahmanullah Gurbaz leg-before-wicket, and Rashid Khan removed Sunil Narine within the powerplay. The GT bowlers maintained tight lines and lengths in the middle overs, restricting boundaries and increasing the required run rate.
Skipper Ajinkya Rahane fought a lone battle, scoring a half-century (50 off 36 balls), but lacked substantial support from the other batsmen. Rashid Khan and Prasidh Krishna were the standout bowlers for GT, picking up two wickets apiece and ensuring KKR fell well short of the target. This loss marks KKR's second consecutive defeat and their third loss in four home matches.
Brief Scorecard:
Gujarat Titans: 198/3 (Shubman Gill 90, Sai Sudharsan 52, Jos Buttler 41*; Vaibhav Arora 1/44, Harshit Rana 1/45, Andre Russell 1/13)
Kolkata Knight Riders: 159/8 (Ajinkya Rahane 50; Rashid Khan 2/25, Prasidh Krishna 2/25, Mohammed Siraj 1/32, Ishant Sharma 1/18, Washington Sundar 1/36, Sai Kishore 1/19)
Player of the Match: Shubman Gill(90)
Todays Match
LSG vs DC
Uttar Pradesh
7.30 pm
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