It was the same old story for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as their search for a maiden win in IPL 2026 continues. They are yet to taste a win after 6 games, losing 5 of them and getting a lucky point against PBKS in Kolkata. KKR had their moments in Ahmedabad and fought hard. But they were always behind the game and playing catch-up throughout. It was the same problems that came back to haunt them as GT, with 3 consecutive wins, entered the top 4, while KKR is at the bottom. There were reasons for their loss; we will try to analyse it for you here.
Losing 3/37 in the power play put KKR on the back foot
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, KKR would have hoped for a rollicking start as captain Ajinkya Rahane wanted his batters to bat freely and not have the pressure of the asking rate. It’s one thing to be fearless, the other to be reckless. The pitch was decent to bat, but one still needed to get their eyes in first. KKR went for the attack, which was fine, but it has to be according to the merit of the ball. Seifert started well and played lovely shots.
Captain Rahane, who has been doing well in the power play, all of a sudden, played a nothing shot by going for the big one and gifting his wicket away to Mohammed Siraj. The form batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi came and hit a couple of delightful boundaries. But he too went to Rabada chasing at a wide delivery to get the outside edge to the keeper Buttler. KKR were 21/2 in 2 overs. Thereafter, Seifert got a start but could not convert it, as when the score reached 32, he fell for 19 off 14 balls to Rabada. KKR were 32/3 in 4 overs.
Cameron Green and Rovman Powell were together at the crease and could muster 5 runs in the last two overs of power play to be 37/3 in 6 overs. KKR were firmly on the back foot after a bad power play, and while they recovered post that in the middle phase, it was always going to be tough posting a huge score. The batting order is in a real mess for KKR, and there is a lack of role clarity as well. KKR needs to get the power play right, as for the second consecutive game, they were lagging in power play and losing wickets. GT, on the other hand, scored 71 in their 6 overs.
Time is running out, and this season is as good as over for KKR. But if they wish to salvage something, the Knights need to bat better and not give away their wickets like last night. Those were not good balls, or due to the pitch. The batters were gifting their wickets. They need to put a price on their wicket and start well, as KKR are really struggling in the power play.
Lack of support for Cameron Green in the death overs phase sees KKR fall apart
Despite the poor start in the power play, KKR recovered really well through the one-man show of Cameron Green. Green, who was going to run a ball in his initial part of the innings, suddenly accelerated and drove the KKR innings forward. Rovman Powell initially supported him. But after Powell fell at the team score of 87, Green did the heavy lifting and took the score from 87 to 147 inside 5 overs with Anukul Roy being a mere spectator. Roy fell in the 15th over to Prasidh Krishna. But KKR were decently placed at 148/5 in 15 overs.
The hope would have been to get to 200+ from here with wickets in hand and a set batter in the middle. All KKR needed to do was apply their brains and support Green by rotating the strike and giving it to him. But KKR is KKR after all. They just messed things up in the back 5 overs, and GT went ahead in the game. The lower order did not click at all. Vice-captain Rinku Singh came and went for 1 in the first ball of the 16th over.
Ramandeep Singh played a cameo and played his shots a little bit, scoring 17 off 8 balls before falling to Ashok Sharma. Sunil Narine came in at 9, batting out of position, and went for a duck. Kartik Tyagi fell to a run out, and in the end, in the last ball of the innings, Green, who saw the procession, was the last man to fall for 79 to Rashid Khan. To put things into perspective, KKR lost 5/32 in the last 5 overs, and 6/33 in 31 balls was the actual collapse.
KKR played 57 dot balls in the innings, which is quite high. In the first innings itself, KKR did badly in the power play and the end overs. Two phases, they were outplayed. Once that happens, it’s difficult to win games. KKR has to find the right formula to finish the innings well to post a good total. 180 was a decent score, but not match-winning. The Knights needed 200+ on that track. Too many dot balls and wickets given away due to a lack of application proved to be their downfall. They will have to address this issue very quickly.
Inability to stop Shubman Gill’s masterclass sealed the fate of the matchÂ
KKR needed early wickets in their defence of 180. But that was not to be the case as the captain, Shubman Gill, who loves Ahmedabad, put on a clinic and came out all guns blazing against the Knights’ bowlers. He was very quickly off the blocks and dominated his former franchise. He was ably supported by Sai Sudharsan as the openers put on a solid stand of 57 in 5 overs before Sai fell. Jos Buttler was good and quickly off the blocks, playing the perfect role of supporting cast.
But it was Gill who held his own and guided the chase through. GT’s game plan is simple: one of the top 3 will bat long and deep and has to guide the innings. Gill did that last night perfectly, and KKR had no answers. Buttler fell when the score was 95 in 9 overs, and GT were cruising. The headline act was all about Gill and KKR having no answers or plans as to how to dismiss him. No one stood a chance against him as KKR were found wanting for what to do next. He scored his fifty and batted through to score 86.
When he fell after 17 overs, GT needed 23 runs off 18 balls, and the rest of the batters, with a few nervy moments, made sure that the hosts got over the line in 19.4 overs eventually. KKR lacked incisiveness with the ball as the power play overs went GT’s way, and it was smooth sailing. Gill did not have to break a sweat and achieved his task quite comfortably. KKR’s bowling is a tad weak on paper, but they still tried to take the game to the final over. Batting is still not clicking.
What Lies Ahead
So, KKR will next face RR on Sunday afternoon at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The Gujarat Titans will host the Mumbai Indians on Monday evening. GT are in the top 4 now. Two games are scheduled on Super Saturday. First up, it’s defending champions RCB taking on DC in Bengaluru from 3:30 PM IST, while SRH hosts CSK in the Southern Derby in the evening game from 7:30 PM IST. Double the fun over the weekends in IPL 2026.
Let’s wait and watch how the games unfold on Super Saturday.
Also Read: GT vs KKR: Shubman Gill’s Magical Half-Century Enables GT To Climb To 4th In Points Table