Finn Allen pummelled the GT bowling to all parts and helped KKR post a massive total. Finn Allen was given a reprieve twice by Jason Holder and Mohammed Siraj, and he made GT pay for their mistakes. Put into bat first, KKR rode on Finn Allen’s brilliant 93, Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s 82* and Cameron Green’s unbeaten 52 to post a massive 247/2 in 20 overs. GT bowlers struggled with lines and lengths and were not helped by the fielders.
In reply, Sunil Narine picked up 2/29 as KKR held their nerves to upstage GT by 29 runs despite a brilliant innings from captain Shubman Gill, who made 85 off 49 balls alongside Jos Buttler, who made 57 off 35 balls. Sai Sudharsan got injured in the elbow. He went off and came back with an unbeaten 53 off 28 balls later on in the piece. But it was not enough as KKR won the game by 29 runs and climbed to 7th in the points table to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.
Finn Allen & Angkrish Raghuvanshi power KKR to a massive 247/2
Put into bat first, captain Ajinkya Rahane and Finn Allen came out to open for KKR while Mohammed Siraj had the ball in hand for GT. Finn Allen was quickly off the blocks. He meant business from the word go, while Allen was the aggressor of the two. Rahane managed to get an odd boundary and maximum away, but it was Allen all the way. The opening duo added 44 runs for the first wicket in 4.3 overs before Rahane was cleaned up for 14 off 14 balls with one four and one six to his name, to Siraj, who cleaned him up.
Angkrish Raghuvanshi came out to bat to join Allen in the middle. They then decided to forge a partnership together. They upped the ante, and the power play score was 56/1 in 6 overs. The duo carried on the momentum in the middle overs. Allen was the main destroyer while Raghuvanshi complemented him well as KKR were off to a fantastic start. Allen was given reprieves tonight as GT were off the mark in their execution. Allen, while batting on 33*, was dropped by Siraj after Holder dropped him earlier, and Allen was ready to make amends.
Allen completed his fifty and carried on from there, while Raghuvasnhi was also doing his job. The duo put on 95 runs in 41 balls for the second wicket before Allen, who looked good to get another ton, fell for a magnificent 93 off 35 balls with 4 fours and 10 sixes to his name to Sai Kishore. Cameron Green came out to bat next with the score at 139/2 in 11.2 overs. It was carnage from the KKR batters as GT lost the plot in the field.
GT were sloppy in the field as Washington Sundar dropped Raghuvanshi in the deep, and the batter was very happy to make the GT team pay. Cameron Green looked good, as the Allen show earlier gave KKR the momentum they had been searching for throughout. The duo made sure that there were no more wickets lost in the innings and added an unbroken 108-run stand for the 3rd wicket in 53 balls. Green completed his fifty, and Raghuvanshi scored his highest score in his career.
Raghuvanshi was unbeaten on 82 off 44 balls with 4 fours and 7 sixes to his name. Green was unbeaten on 52 off 28 balls with 3 fours and 4 sixes to his name as KKR amassed a massive 247/2 in 20 overs on a day for the batters. 6 extras were given by the fielding side.
It was a hard night for the GT bowlers as they struggled to find control of the proceedings. Mohammed Siraj finished with figures of 1/50 in 4 overs. Sai Kishore finished with 1/38 in 3 overs. Kagiso Rabada finished with 0/40 in 4 overs. Jason Holder finished with 0/39 in 4 overs. Rashid Khan was clobbered for 57 in 4 overs. Arshad Khan bowled an over for 22 runs. This meant that GT had all to do with the target at 248 in 20 overs for the visitors.
Sunil Narine’s miserly spell overshadows spirited GT’s chase as KKR win by 29 runs
Chasing 248 for the win, Sai Sudharsan and captain Shubman Gill came out to bat for GT. Saurabh Dubey had the ball in hand for KKR. The Titans came out all guns blazing, with Sai coming out all guns blazing as he did the bulk of the scoring while Gill was struggling at the other end, going at a run a ball. Loads of extras were given by the KKR bowlers. Sai was in his 20s, and the partnership was worth 42 runs in 18 balls when Sai was hit in the back elbow, and he had to walk back to the hut. Nishant Sindhu came out to bat next.
The momentum just went off from the innings after Sai’s departure due to injury. Sindhu fell for 1 off 4 balls to Sunil Narine as the first wicket fell at 49 in 4.1 overs. Jos Buttler came out to bat next. Gill and Buttler struggled initially and then upped the ante. The Titans were playing catch-up. But they kind of played within themselves and then accelerated as well. Shubman Gill was slow but then accelerated. Buttler was also slow initially and then turned it on.
GT were 56/1 in 6 overs of power play, same as KKR. They upped the ante and aced the middle phase of the game. The duo of Gill and Buttler threatened KKR. They took the score to 177/1 in 16 overs when the final Strategic Time Out was taken. But then Sunil Narine delivered the killer blow as the required rate was always up, and it was a matter of time for the Knights. Gill put on a show for everyone as much as he could.
The duo added 128 runs off 73 balls before Gill fell for 85 off 49 balls with 5 fours and 7 sixes to his name to Sunil Narine just after the break. Sai Sudharsan came back into the crease. Buttler carried on his good work and completed his half-century, and looked good out there as the 200 came up for GT. The duo added 30 runs for the third wicket before Buttler, the set batter, fell for 57 off 35 balls with 5 fours and 2 sixes to his name to Saurabh Dubey.
Impact Player Rahul Tewatia came out to bat next. Sai got to his fifty, and his consistent run in IPL continues. Sai stayed unbeaten on 53 off 28 balls with 6 fours and 3 sixes to his name. Tewatia did not do much and was dismissed off the final ball of the match for 2 off 4 balls to Cameron Green. 20 extras given by KKR. GT finished with 218/4 at the end of 20 overs.
The KKR bowlers held their nerves under pressure. Sunil Narine was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2/29 in 4 overs. Saurabh Dubey finished with 1/23 in 2.4 overs. Cameron Green finished with figures of 1/25 in 3 overs. Kartik Tyagi went for 59 in 4 overs. Impact Player Matheesha Pathirana bowled 8 balls for 9 runs, but then walked off the field injured, possibly with another hamstring injury. Varun Chakaravarthy finished with 0/47 in 4 overs with a fractured foot. Anukul Roy bowled an over for 17 runs. So, KKR beats GT by 29 runs to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Sunil Narine was awarded the Player of the Match award.
What Lies Ahead
So, KKR beats GT by 29 runs and wins their 100th match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The home side keeps its slim playoff hopes alive while GT stays in second place. KKR next faces 5-time champions MI on May 20th in Kolkata, while GT will face CSK in their last league game on May 21st in Ahmedabad. On Super Sunday, we have a double header. First up, it’s the repeat of the 2025 final as PBKS hosts RCB in Dharamsala at 3:30 PM IST with Punjab aiming to get back to winning ways. This will be followed by DC vs RR in New Delhi at 7:30 PM IST. Delhi has slim hopes alive and must win, while RR have 6 wins in 11 games.
So, all to play for as we head to Super Sunday, with the race to the playoffs heating up every day. Let’s see how these clashes pan out.
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