IPL 2025: Gill and Rashid Shine as Table-Toppers GT Crush KKR by 39 Runs

Table-toppers Gujarat Titans once again showcased why they’ve been the standout team of IPL 2025, delivering a dominant all-round performance to defeat Kolkata Knight Riders by 39 runs on their home ground. Their top order fired in unison, with Shubman Gill leading the charge with a brilliant 90, while Sai Sudharsan notched up yet another composed half-century. A quickfire cameo from Jos Buttler added the finishing touches, propelling them to a competitive 198. Defending the total, Gujarat’s spinners choked KKR’s middle order, and the pacers chipped in with timely breakthroughs, leaving the hosts with no room to breathe. The emphatic win marked Gujarat’s sixth victory in eight matches this season.

The gulf in class between the two sides became apparent post powerplay. While both teams posted similar scores early on, Gujarat accelerated at over 10 runs an over between the 6th and 15th, whereas KKR managed only 7.6. Gill and Sudharsan’s well-timed aggression gave Gujarat the edge, in contrast to KKR, who also suffered two more powerplay dismissals. Gill expertly used slog-sweeps to nullify KKR’s spin threat, while the hosts faltered against Gujarat’s equally potent spin arsenal. KKR found themselves in a hole they couldn’t climb out of, and Gujarat’s clinical execution ensured they stayed firmly in control.

Steady Start Sets the Platform for Gujarat

Gill and Sudharsan began the innings with composure, opting for a measured approach despite facing little threat from the KKR bowlers. Gujarat, while preserving all ten wickets, recorded their second-lowest Powerplay score of the season with just 45 runs. The surface offered some assistance to spin, prompting KKR to bowl three overs of it—two from Moeen Ali and one from Varun Chakravarthy—during which only two boundaries were scored. The pacers, however, bore the brunt of the attack, with Gill slicing and cutting Harshit Rana for consecutive fours. Though Sudharsan initially led the charge, Gill soon found his rhythm and overtook his opening partner.

Gill and Sudharsan Lay the Perfect Platform for Titans

Shubman Gill stormed to a 34-ball half-century, peppering the spinners with precision and flair. His assault on Moeen Ali—marked by a sequence of six, four, and four—featured classy sweeps and a deft late cut, setting the tone. Sudharsan, equally composed, reached his fifty off just 33 deliveries—his eighth in the last 12 IPL innings—showcasing his knack for timely acceleration. Their 114-run opening partnership exemplified a classic approach: steady assessment followed by calculated aggression. It laid a solid platform for Gujarat after being asked to bat first, highlighting the side’s consistent top-order prowess. Remarkably, the pair has now compiled 50-plus stands in half of their 26 innings together.

The stand ended in the 13th over when Andre Russell extracted extra bounce, forcing an edge off Sudharsan’s attempted cut. But the pressure didn’t shift for long. Jos Buttler stepped in and immediately went on the offensive, smashing three boundaries in the same over to pick up the tempo. Even after offering a chance—put down by Vaibhav Arora—Buttler kept Gujarat’s innings humming, ensuring their dominance remained intact.

Late Surge Lifts Gujarat Titans to Commanding Total

Despite a brief wobble in the death overs, Gujarat Titans managed to post an imposing 198 on the board. Gill provided a late flourish, hammering 29 runs off just 12 deliveries before falling on 90 to a full toss from Vaibhav Arora, shortly after dispatching him for a four and a six. Rahul Tewatia’s dismissal to a clever slower ball from Harshit Rana threatened to halt Gujarat’s charge, momentarily opening a window for KKR.

However, any hopes of a comeback were dashed in the final over. Arora faltered in execution, missing his yorkers and conceding two boundaries and a six, allowing Gujarat to collect 18 crucial runs. Jos Buttler remained unbeaten on 41, ensuring the Titans ended their innings with strong momentum and a formidable total.

KKR Struggle Early as Gujarat Apply the Brakes

Kolkata Knight Riders’ batting struggles at the top continued as Rahmanullah Gurbaz, brought in for Quinton de Kock, couldn’t make an impact. He fell LBW to a sharp in-swinger from Mohammed Siraj in the opening over, setting the tone for a difficult chase. Ajinkya Rahane tried to inject some momentum with a few well-timed shots over the infield during the PowerPlay, while Sunil Narine chipped in with three boundaries, albeit in scattered fashion.

However, Gujarat struck again just as KKR looked to stabilise. Rashid Khan’s introduction in the sixth over proved pivotal as Narine mistimed a pull off a skiddy delivery straight to backward square leg. That wicket handed Gujarat the upper hand inside the PowerPlay and further underlined their control with the ball.

Spinners Tighten the Noose as KKR Lose Grip

As the innings progressed, Gujarat’s spinners took complete control, putting a stranglehold on KKR’s chase. In stark contrast to Gujarat’s mid-innings acceleration, Kolkata’s batters were shackled. Both Ajinkya Rahane and Venkatesh Iyer struggled to break free, with Prasidh Krishna and Rashid Khan maintaining tight lines. Iyer narrowly survived an LBW call against Rashid via a review, but the pressure mounted as KKR endured a 34-ball boundary drought.

Rahane eventually ended the dry spell with a lofted drive and a slog-swept six off Washington Sundar in the same over. However, Iyer’s slow crawl—14 off 18 balls—came to an end when he swept straight to deep midwicket off Sai Kishore. Their partnership of 36 balls produced just 41 runs, leaving KKR needing an uphill 13.5 runs per over for the remainder of the chase.

Rahane reached a hard-fought fifty off 36 balls but fell soon after, stumped as Sundar outfoxed him with a wide delivery. With the required rate ballooning, KKR turned to Rinku Singh and Andre Russell to rescue the innings. Though Russell managed to clear the ropes once and hit a boundary, Gujarat’s disciplined bowling and sharp field placements ensured the duo found little room to launch a comeback.

Chained Down, KKR Collapse Under Pressure

Kolkata Knight Riders’ hopes rested heavily on Andre Russell, but Gujarat’s spin master Rashid Khan dashed those quickly. In the 16th over, Russell was outfoxed and stumped, triggering a final unraveling. Prasidh Krishna then delivered the knockout punch in the next over, dismissing Ramandeep Singh and Moeen Ali within three balls, slamming the door on any faint hopes of a late surge.

Krishna’s economical spell of 2 for 25 played a crucial role in suffocating KKR alongside the spinners. Rashid, too, ended with equally impressive figures of 2 for 25, despite one expensive over. Rinku Singh’s knock never quite got going—his first boundary came off his tenth delivery, and even a 15-run over couldn’t swing the momentum.

Impact substitute Angkrish Raghuvanshi added a fighting 27, but it came far too late. KKR eventually crawled to 159, falling well short and remaining stuck in seventh place with a 4-4 win-loss record that reflects their inconsistency.

What’s Next for Kolkata Knight Riders and Gujarat Titans?

Kolkata Knight Riders have a brief breather of four days before they return to action on April 26, hosting Punjab Kings at Eden Gardens — a crucial fixture as they aim to bounce back from this defeat. Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans enjoy a longer six-day break before heading to Jaipur to take on table-toppers Rajasthan Royals on April 28 in what promises to be a high-voltage clash between two top contenders.

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