Once more, the GT top three scored 183 runs between them, accounting for the majority of the total. GT Vs KKR
Kolkata Knight Riders 159 for 8 (Rahane 50, Prasidh 2-25, Rashid 2-25) were defeated by 39 runs against Gujarat Titans 198 for 3 (Gill 90, Sai Sudharsan 52, Buttler 41*, Russell 1-13).
Gujarat Titans (GT) kept to their tried-and-true strategy of starting cautiously, evaluating the situation, and minimizing risk even if they lost the last time they batted first.
This time, the outcome was a score of 198 for 3 on a challenging surface, which they easily defended against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to maintain their advantage at the top of the table.
Under Shubman’s leadership, following the second-slowest powerplay of this IPL by a team without losing a wicket, Gill’s 90 off 55 meant that the GT top three once again carried most of the scoring, with 183 runs between them.
Gill and B Sai Sudharsan relied on strike rotation and the occasional attack on a pitch that had just enough to inhibit fluid stroke play. Before Jos Buttler put the finishing touches on it with 41 off 23, they contributed 114 for the first wicket.
Although there were still questions about whether GT had left some runs out in the middle, their unrelenting bowling removed enough from the pitch to support the batting strategy and create a significant 39-run victory.
Evaluating the pitch GT Vs KKR
Throughout their brief history, GT has consistently performed like the best Chennai Super Kings (CSK), relying on their hitters to make middle-field selections and investing in bowlers that lessen their need to take big chances when batting. They are the fastest team overall and the second-slowest in the IPL powerplay. Their top order taking its time and then cashing in later is part of the problem. It resulted in just 45 runs when the field was up, one aerial shot during the powerplay, and no boundaries in the first 11 balls that evening.
Sai Sudharsan and Gill alternate attacks. GT Vs KKR
He didn’t do much when the field was up, but as soon as he believed he was in, Gill attacked the deep fielders following the powerplay. He smashed Moeen Ali for six, four, and four in a row after starting with six off eleven and using Harshit Rana’s pace to reach 22 off 19. But once more, he decided to use care when addressing Sunil Narine.
By attacking Varun Chakravarthy, a fellow Tamil Nadu player, and Harshit, who was receiving buy from the field with his offcutters, Sai Sudharsan relieved him of some of his workload. In 33 balls as opposed to Gill’s 34, he even beat Gill to reach the fifty. Soon after came the orange cap.
Buttler and Gill continue to strike GT Vs KKR
KKR might have had optimism after Sai Sudharsan was removed by Andre Russell’s extra bounce, but Buttler dashed their hopes with three straight fours in one over. In the 16th and 17th overs, Gill took 12 and 11, assuming responsibility for attacking the two major spinners. The fact that the spinners bowled 11 overs for 96 runs and no wickets without playing frantic cricket was a significant victory for GT.
Buttler and Shah Rukh Khan got it to 85 off the final eight overs, but Gill missed the century with a full toss straight to deep midwicket.
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KKR’s batting keeps failing.
In this game, KKR made adjustments in the hopes of getting better results, but they also entered the game with the confidence to chase anything under 210. The GT way enters the picture here. They may occasionally fall ten or so short of a flawless chase, but they almost never went too hard and ended up fifty short. While the Lucknow Super Giants may have executed a flawless chase in the previous game, KKR was anything but.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz was given no chance by Mohammed Siraj’s pitching and nipping outswinger, which began with an unplayable ball. The only KKR batsman who appeared fluid was Ajinkya Rahane; Narine and Venkatesh Iyer were caught at the other end. Venkatesh’s 14 off 19 left them in dire need of a Russell special, but Narine still managed 17 off 13.
After Rahane reached fifty off thirty-six balls, he was instantly stumped by a shrewd wide ball from Washington Sundar. Russell began by hitting a four and a six off Washington, but Sai Kishore’s deft spin bowling held him down, and Rashid Khan completed his comeback to success by taking Russell’s wicket. By then, the request had already crossed the line into impossibility.
Prasidh Krishna increased his lead at the top of the purple cap charts towards the conclusion, reaching 16 wickets with figures of 4-0-25-2.
