Ahmedabad: In an IPL clash here on Friday, Kolkata Knight Riders (180 all out in 20 overs) were defeated by hosts Gujarat Titans (181/5 in 19.4 overs). Kolkata’s loss seemed likely, and it unfolded accordingly. The significant takeaway, however, is that Kolkata have now suffered their fifth defeat, pushing them further to the bottom of the table. With five losses in six matches and just one point from a no-result, the former champions languish at 10th place.
Gill leads among all captains
Captain Shubman Gill (86 off 50 balls, 4 sixes, 8 fours) once again rose to the occasion and guided his team to victory. He has also claimed the Orange Cap with a total of 251 runs. Notably, all teams in the IPL currently have Indian captains, and Gill has been the standout performer with the bat among them. Other Indian captains include Ajinkya Rahane, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, Riyan Parag, Shreyas Iyer, Rajat Patidar, and Ishan Kishan.
Sai Sudharsan struggles after stellar 2025
Gujarat opener Sai Sudharsan (22 off 16 balls, 2 sixes, 1 four) has been underwhelming this season. He was the highest run-scorer in IPL 2025 with 759 runs and had won the Orange Cap. However, apart from a 73-run knock against Rajasthan, he has failed to deliver in most innings this season. Although he shared a 57-run partnership with Gill on Friday, he could not provide the strong start the team needed.
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Match goes down to the final over
Gill also stitched a 46-run partnership with Washington Sundar (13 off 13 balls). Wicketkeeper Jos Buttler, who had contributed significantly in previous matches, managed only 25 runs. For Kolkata, Varun Chakravarthy picked up two wickets, while Vaibhav Arora, Sunil Narine, and Ramandeep Singh took one each, but they could not prevent defeat. Gujarat needed five runs in the final over. Ramandeep dismissed Glenn Phillips, bringing the match to a tense moment. However, Prasidh Krishna and Rahul Tewatia ensured Gujarat’s victory with two balls to spare.
Cameron Green’s effort goes in vain
Earlier, Kolkata posted 180 runs in 20 overs. After a string of poor performances and a lone unbeaten 32 in one match, Australian batsman Cameron Green (79 off 55 balls, 4 sixes, 7 fours) finally delivered in his sixth game. The franchise, which is paying him ₹25.20 crore this season, saw him perform well for the first time. He was dismissed on the final ball of the innings.
For Gujarat, Kagiso Rabada took three wickets, while Mohammed Siraj and Ashok Sharma picked up two wickets each.
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