Gujarat Titans (GT) notched a narrow five-wicket win to keep Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) winless in IPL 2026 at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad on April 17. This was KKR's fifth defeat in the ongoing season, who are now reeling at the bottom of the points table after six matches.
GT leaves KKR winless with 5-wicket win in Ahmedabad
Cameron Green did try to repay KKR's faith and justify his Rs 25.20 crore tag with a fighting 55-ball 79 to help the former champions post a competitive total of 180. In reply, GT, despite Shubman Gill's 50-ball 86, huffed and puffed to finally edge past KKR by five wickets.
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Shubman Gill's sturdy 86 in GT's win
Chasing 181 for their third consecutive victory, GT asserted their dominance early through an aggressive opening stand between Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan. Eschewing a cautious start, Gill took control immediately with elegant off-side play and a clean lofted drive over cover, racing to 22 off just 9 deliveries. Sudharsan maintained this high intensity by targeting Anukul Roy, utilizing a pick-up shot over square leg and a firm strike over midwicket to propel the Titans to 40 without loss in just three overs.
KKR managed a brief breakthrough when Sunil Narine outmaneuvered Sudharsan, using extra bounce to force a top-edged sweep to short fine leg. However, the momentum remained firmly with the hosts as Jos Buttler joined Gill, punishing Narine with a six and several boundaries through the off side. By the end of the powerplay, Gujarat had reached a commanding 71 for 1, benefiting from a surface that allowed the ball to come onto the bat more consistently under the lights.
Although Varun Chakravarthy managed to dismiss both Buttler and Washington Sundar to offer KKR a glimmer of hope, Shubman Gill ensured the chase never drifted. Shifting gears from his initial burst to a more calculated approach, Gill rotated the strike effectively and reached a 27-ball half-century. His steady presence kept the required run rate well under control, even as his partners fell, leaving the Titans needing only 40 runs from the final 33 balls when Glenn Phillips arrived at the crease.
The only remaining drama came when Gill fell for a brilliant 86, caught by a diving Cameron Green at deep third after slicing a full delivery from Vaibhav Arora. Despite his visible frustration at missing out on a century, Gill’s contribution had already secured the result. Gujarat comfortably finished the chase without further incident, marking their third straight win of the campaign and leaving a winless KKR searching for answers as the tournament progresses.
Cameron Green's comeback wasted
Earlier, a sensational recovery led by Cameron Green was ultimately wasted as a late-order collapse restricted KKR to 180 all out against the Gujarat Titans (GT). Playing at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Friday, KKR appeared set for a massive total thanks to Green’s 79 off 55 balls, which featured seven boundaries and four sixes. However, the innings fell apart in the closing stages, with the visitors losing their final six wickets for a mere 33 runs. Kagiso Rabada spearheaded the Titans' bowling effort with 3-33, supported by disciplined spells from Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna.
The match began disastrously for KKR after they elected to bat. Mohammed Siraj struck with the very first ball, removing skipper Ajinkya Rahane for a golden duck. The pressure intensified in the following over when Rabada dismissed Angkrish Raghuvanshi, and when Tim Seifert fell shortly after for 12, KKR were languishing at 32/3 within the first four overs. A brief but impactful 27-run cameo from Rovman Powell helped shift the momentum, as he combined with Green for a 55-run partnership to stabilize the innings before falling to an Ashok Sharma slower ball.
Green’s innings was a tale of two halves; after a slow start where he struggled to 27 off 29 deliveries, he exploded in the 12th over against Rashid Khan. He proved particularly dominant against the spinners, scoring at nearly double his initial rate. His aggressive 60-run stand with Anukul Roy propelled KKR from a precarious position to a promising 139/4 in just three overs. However, the momentum vanished when Prasidh Krishna dismissed Roy in the 15th over, sparking a collapse that saw the likes of Rinku Singh and Ramandeep Singh fall in quick succession.
The final overs were characterized by a bizarre lack of strike for the set batter. Despite being well-past his half-century, Green became a spectator at the non-striker’s end, facing only two deliveries during a critical stretch as his teammates crumbled around him. He managed just four runs off his final 11 balls before being caught behind off the last delivery of the innings. Ultimately, KKR’s total of 180 felt below par as GT completed the chase with two balls to spare.