IPL 2023: Gujarat Titans dominate Kolkata Knight Riders to claim top spot on points table | Match report

Gujarat Titans, defending champions of the IPL, put on a remarkable performance to defeat the Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets and climb to the top of the table. The victory was particularly sweet for the Titans, who had lost their previous game against the Knight Riders due to the heroics of Rinku Singh.

The Titans’ pace duo of Mohammad Shami and Josh Little claimed five wickets between them, while left-arm spinner Noor Ahmad continued his fine form to limit KKR to a below-par 179/7. Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s 81 off 39 balls set the tempo for the Knight Riders, but they managed just 45 runs and lost three wickets in the final five overs to miss out on the 200-run mark.

In reply, the Gujarat Titans chased down the target in just 17.5 overs, with Vijay Shankar remaining unbeaten on 51 off 24 balls. The home side had their moments, dismissing a flawless Shubman Gill just one run shy of fifty and almost catching David Miller on 26. However, a crucial catch was dropped, which proved to be a game-changing moment. GT needed 51 runs from 29 balls, but Shankar and Miller’s unbroken 87-run partnership sealed the issue in just 39 balls.

The win took the Gujarat Titans to the top of the table with 12 points from eight matches, putting them in a strong position to make the playoffs for the second year in a row. In contrast, the Kolkata Knight Riders face early elimination after enduring their sixth defeat from nine matches. They must now win all their remaining five matches to stay in the tournament.

Shubman Gill gave GT a perfect start after losing Wriddhiman Saha early, as he and skipper Hardik Pandya laid the foundation in a 50-run partnership. Sunil Narine ended his five-match wicketless drought by dismissing Gill in the 12th over. At 102/3 after 13 overs, KKR still had the edge, but South African batter Vijay Shankar broke the shackles with a boundary off Varun Chakravarthy, before taking Suyash Sharma to the cleaners in an 18-run over. David Miller then smashed two sixes in a row off the rookie legspinner, and there was no looking back for the Gujarat Titans from there on.

Today’s match was a clinical display from the Gujarat Titans, who demonstrated their class and skill on the field. The win puts them in a strong position to defend their IPL title and will no doubt give them a confidence boost going forward.

(With inputs from agency)