KKR vs GT Highlights, IPL 2026: Shubman Gill fights alone as Knight Riders beat Titans by 29 runs to keep playoff hopes alive

Super Sunday beckons - First up on 17th May, the Punjab Kings take on the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a crucial clash. A win for RCB would confirm their place in the playoffs, while PBKS head into the contest on the back of five consecutive defeats and in desperate need of a turnaround. The game in Dharamsala will begin at 3.30 pm IST (10 am GMT). The attention will then shift to Delhi, where the Delhi Capitals face the Rajasthan Royals. The Capitals are hanging on by a thread in the playoff race, while the Royals are in a much better position to push for qualification. The first ball in Delhi will be bowled at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT). We look forward to having your company then. Cheers!

PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Sunil Narine wins the award for his brilliance with the ball. He returned figures of 2/29 from his 4 overs. Narine says performances like these come through hard work and credits the group for consistently putting in the hard yards, which is now showing in the results. Shares that the message within the camp is to keep going, no matter what the tournament has in store for them. Narine says it is all about planning for the challenge in front of him and not overthinking situations. Sunil mentions that playing 200 games in the IPL for KKR is a blessing and hopes the journey continues.

The skipper of the Kolkata Knight Riders - Ajinkya Rahane agrees that it was quite an eventful game, and adds that he feels tired as it was a lot humid out there. But expresses his happiness with the win and getting two important points in front of the home crowd. On the batting display, he is full of praise. Credits the likes of Finn Allen, Raghuvanshi, and Green, who all stood up when it mattered. Says that dominating a quality bowling attack the way they did was simply amazing to see. On the preparation and mindset, he says the focus has always been on taking one game at a time, and that clarity of intent showed in the way the team played tonight. About the younger players, he singles out Saurabh Dubey, saying his performances in the Vidarbha league caught the eye of the coaching staff, where his talent was immediately recognised. On Sunil Narine's performance, he smiles and says it simply makes his job easy knowing Narine is in the team. He reserves special praise for Varun Chakaravarthy as well. Adds that Varun was struggling with a sore foot, but the courage he showed to take the field and contribute speaks volumes about his character.

Time for the presentation ceremony...

KKR powered their way to 247 - After the toss fell their way, it was a no-brainer for GT to bowl first with rain around. Gujarat, who have been so dominant with the ball in the powerplay this season, had to settle for just a solitary wicket. It was during the middle phase that things really began to go awry for the Titans. It all started with the dropped catch of Finn Allen on 33 by Mohammed Siraj, and that almost seemed like a signal for Allen that it was going to be his day. From there, he teed off in style. The lapses in the field then contagiously spread across the park, while the bowling unit did little to help its own cause either with its inconsistency. Finn eventually fell for 93, but Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Cameron Green capitalised on the launchpad to help KKR reach 247.

Gill and Buttler fought a losing battle - Jos Buttler and Shubman Gill took the chase deep, with Gill scoring at a better rate during the partnership while Buttler was not his usual self on the night. The big overs that Gujarat desperately needed consistently never really arrived, with only 3 overs in the chase producing more than 15 runs. That simply did not cut the mustard in a chase of this magnitude. The final over from Varun Chakaravarthy, which went for 22 runs, spoiled his figures, but his earlier three overs had gone for just 25 runs and played a crucial role in making the chase difficult for GT. His spin bowling partner, Sunil Narine, continued to keep things tight from the other end and applied further pressure through the middle overs.

A brisk start before losing their way - In pursuit of 248, GT raced out of the blocks with 42 runs in the first three overs, but with Sai Sudharsan copping a blow on the left elbow and walking off the field, the momentum dissipated rather quickly. KKR suffered an unfortunate blow of their own as Matheesha Pathirana walked off feeling his left hamstring after bowling just 8 deliveries in his first game of the season. However, his absence was not really felt as KKR managed to steadily push the required run rate higher through the middle phase.

A quick word with KKR's star batter - Angkrish Raghuvanshi says he enjoyed his innings even more because it came in a winning cause. Adds that with the way Finn Allen was batting, his main focus was simply to give him as much of the strike as possible. Raghuvanshi admits that he is not used to wicketkeeping duties and says it is taking everything out of him physically. Says the score reflects just how good the batting surface was and jokes that he hopes to play on wickets like these every game. Raghuvanshi says they often have to kick him out of the nets because he loves hitting balls for hours. He adds that ever since he was a kid, his coach Abhishek Nayar has made him hit around 1000 balls a day.

The captain of the Gujarat Titans - Shubman Gill says that, looking at the pitch, he thought 210 was a par score. He then admits that they dropped too many catches in the field and gave away too many runs in the end. About the pitch, he details that it was good, but the odd one was stopping a bit but he feels they batted well to get to the score they got in the end. Asked whether there are any concerns after this loss, Gill says there are none, but reiterates that their fielding could have been much better tonight. Humbly concedes that they didn't deserve to win this, as they dropped three to four catches. On being asked about the result, Gill says that it is better to have a game where the bowlers have an off day, and the total goes to 240-250 now rather than in the knockouts. It is a timely reality check, he adds further. On their last league match against CSK, he says the focus now is to rest a bit, recover for a couple of days, travel back to Ahmedabad, and then assess the pitch before planning accordingly.

KKR lay down a marker - It was a victory set up by the batters, who posted the team's highest total of the season, before the bowlers stepped up admirably on a ground that is not easy to defend on, but they got the job done in what was the franchise's 100th IPL game at home. The Gujarat Titans let a golden opportunity slip away. A win tonight would have secured their place in the playoffs, but they were made to pay for their errors in the field, while the bowling performance also was not quite at the level they have consistently shown this season.

Cameron Green to Rahul Tewatia, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! KKR BEAT GT BY 29 RUNS. In their 100th IPL game at the Eden Gardens, the Knight Riders have marked the occasion in style, dominating the Titans from start to finish to keep their playoff hopes flickering, even if just barely. Short outside off, at 125.6 kph. Tewatia goes deep in the crease and shuffles across, looking to hook it behind square on the leg side. The bounce does the trick, though, climbing sharply and kissing the glove on the way through to the keeper. Raghuvanshi dives forward pouches it comfortably, and that seals the deal for the hosts. 

Cameron Green to Sai Sudharsan, At 127.6 kph, Green bashes the length hard, angles it in and around off. Sai swivels and pulls it off the toe end to long on for a single.

Cameron Green to Sai Sudharsan, SIX! FIFTY FOR SUDHARSAN! His 6th half century this year and he just continues to pile on the runs for his side. Short of a good length, cutting into the batter sharply and skidding off the deck. Sai Sudharsan moves inside the line of the ball and pulls it over deep fine leg for a six.

Cameron Green to Rahul Tewatia, Takes pace off, short, on off. Rahul miscues the pull shot, and it rolls down to long on for a single. 

Cameron Green to Sai Sudharsan, Overpitched and outside off, carved away to deep point for a single.

Cameron Green to Rahul Tewatia, Nips in from outside off, on a good length. Rahul Tewatia is rushed on the pull shot and misses to lay his bat on it. He is struck around the midriff as he is cramped up for room and the ball rolls to the short third region for a leg bye.

Excellent execution from Saurabh Dubey, and he gets a standing ovation from the KKR head coach, Abhishek Nayar. Cameron Green to bowl the final over of the game.

Saurabh Dubey to Rahul Tewatia, Low full toss, outside off. Rahul gets down on a knee and slogs it aerially and on one bounce to Green at deep mid-wicket for a single. A fantastic penultimate over from Saurabh. Just 5 runs from it.

Mohammed Siraj is substituted by Rahul Tewatia

A moment that Saurabh Dubey will remember for the rest of his life. GT use their Impact Sub. Rahul Tewatia comes in, replacing Mohammed Siraj. Realistically, from GT's perspective, it is now about reducing the margin of defeat from here.

Saurabh Dubey to Jos Buttler, OUT! TAKEN EASILY! First IPL wicket for Dubey and he is overjoyed. He bowls it very full by taking all the pace off, and outside off. Jos Buttler stays put, tries to pump it over long off, but does not properly get under the ball. Ends up getting no timing and distance and offers a simple catching practice to the sub fielder, Ramandeep Singh, at long off. A fighting knock from Buttler, but it wasn't enough in a mountainous run chase. GT are 207/3, needing 41 runs from 7 balls.

Saurabh Dubey to Sai Sudharsan, Wide off cutter, on a fuller length. Sai slashes hard, but hits it on the bounce to the backward point fielder for just a single. 41 needed off 8 balls.

Saurabh Dubey to Sai Sudharsan, At just 112.5 kph, this is short, outside off. Sai Sudharsan slices it over extra cover. The long off fielder runs to his right and collects it on the bounce. Two taken.

Saurabh Dubey to Sai Sudharsan, WIDE! A bumper dug in short and slow, outside off. Sai Sudharsan climbs the imaginary ladder to ramp it over the keeper, but fails to do so. The ball passes above the head height and it is called a wide.

Saurabh Dubey to Sai Sudharsan, Outstanding yorker from Saurabh, on off. Sai Sudharsan fails to carve it away, and the ball zips past the outside edge by a whisker.

Saurabh Dubey to Sai Sudharsan, Slower off cutter, on off, on a length. Sai shapes up for a square cut, but chops it down the pitch off the inside edge.

With Matheesha Pathirana off the field, the options are Anukul Roy, Cameron Green and Saurabh Dubey. Ajinkya Rahane has gone with Dubey for the 19th over. 1-4-0-18-0 so far for the left-arm quick.

Kartik Tyagi to Jos Buttler, SIX! Top shot, that! A very expensive spell for Kartik tonight. Full outside off with a lot of width on offer. Jos makes room and creams it over extra cover for a cracking six. Tyagi goes for 0/59 in 4 overs as 21 runs come from his final over. 200 UP FOR GUJARAT TITANS!

Kartik Tyagi to Sai Sudharsan, Full toss, outside off, Sai Sudharsan gets across to sweep it away, but gets an inside edge on the boot and it then deflects away to the backward point region for a single.

Kartik Tyagi to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! That's hit really hard! Back of a length, just outside off. Sai Sudharsan stands tall and swats it across to the right of deep mid-wicket. Anukul Roy rushes across, dives, but the ball speeds through the practice pitches and races away for a boundary.

Kartik Tyagi to Sai Sudharsan, Decision overturned! A wild delivery from Kartik, a full toss, just above waist height, angling away from the batter. Sai Sudharsan goes heaving across the line, but gets beaten up. The umpire signals for a No Ball, but KKR have reviewed it to challenge the on-field decision. The side-on replay with the Ball Tracking comes up. Sai's waist height is 1.102 meters, but the ball is passing at 1.028 meters. So, it is a fair delivery. And the on-field decision is changed.

Kartik Tyagi to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! Dropped and races away! Fuller and outside off, Sai throws his hands at it, only to get a thick outside edge to the left of the keeper. Angkrish Raghuvanshi dives to his left, stretching his hands towards the ball, but it clips his fingertips and races to the fence behind. 56 needed off 16 balls.

Kartik Tyagi to Sai Sudharsan, SIX! Goes all the way! Kartik bangs it too short and around off. Sai waits for the slower one to arrive, and hammers it over the deep mid-wicket fence for a huge six.

Kartik Tyagi to continue...

Sunil Narine to Sai Sudharsan, Just a single! End of a fine spell from the spin maestro. Floated up, full and on off. Sai Sudharsan swings hard to go big on the off side. Miscues it off the inner half in front of square on the leg side for a run. Narine finishes with figures of 4-0-29-2. 66 needed from 18 balls.

Sunil Narine to Sai Sudharsan, Slower but the length stays short, on off. Sai Sudharsan stays leg side and cuts it away to the right of Rinku Singh at deep point for a couple of runs.

Sunil Narine to Jos Buttler, Keeps it flat and short, on off. Buttler goes for the reverse and mistimes it to right of short third. They cross.

Sunil Narine to Sai Sudharsan, Short and at the hips, Sai shovels it to deep backward square leg for a single.

Out goes Shubman Gill. Sai Sudharsan returns to bat, having been retired hurt in the 3rd over after he took a blow on the left elbow.

Sunil Narine to Shubman Gill, OUT! HIGH UP AND CAUGHT! Narine strikes again and continues to weave the web. Pushed fuller from around the stump, around the leg stump line. Shubman Gill sits across in the crease and tries to slog sweep it over deep square leg, but gets a bit of top edge in the process. The ball sails towards Anukul Roy, who shows a good presence of mind. He plucks the ball just a few centimetres in off the ropes and balances himself over his right leg. However, the third umpire is brought in to check for the legality of the catch. A couple of angles come up to see whether Anukul Roy's right leg is in contact with the ropes or not, while holding the ball. But it is deemed a clean catch in the end. Gill is absolutely disappointed and walks back.