Kolkata Knight Riders vs Gujarat Titans – IPL 2026 Match Report | Statz
Kolkata Knight Riders beat Gujarat Titans by 29 runs at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, in the 60th match of 74 in the Indian Premier League 2026. KKR’s win breathes fresh life into their top-four bid, while GT’s second successive defeat leaves them clinging to second place with 16 points from 13 games as the playoff race tightens.
View the full scorecard: KKR vs GT Scorecard – Statz
KKR First Innings: 247/2 (20 overs)
Gujarat Titans won the toss and elected to bowl at Eden Gardens – and for the first four overs, the decision looked shrewd as KKR lost Ajinkya Rahane for 14 off 14 (1 four, 1 six), clean bowled at the fall of the first wicket with the score at 44 in over 4.3.
What followed was a dismantling. Finn Allen arrived and simply refused to respect any bowler in the GT attack. The New Zealander bludgeoned 93 off just 35 deliveries – 4 fours and 10 sixes at a strike rate of 266 – before being caught out with the score at 139 in over 11.2. Those 93 runs off 35 balls transformed KKR’s innings entirely.
Angkrish Raghuvanshi took over with controlled aggression, hitting 82 not out off 44 balls (4 fours, 7 sixes, SR 186). Cameron Green came in and smashed 52 not out off 28 (3 fours, 4 sixes, SR 186). The pair put on an unbroken 108 from just over 8 overs, taking KKR to 247/2 – a total that looked impregnable.
GT’s bowling attack was brutalised. Mohammed Siraj went for 50 from 4 overs (Econ 12.50, 1 wkt). Rashid Khan – usually a match-winner – was hammered for 57 from 4 overs (Econ 14.25, 0 wkts). Jason Holder conceded 39 from 4 (Econ 9.75), and Sai Kishore managed 1/38 from 3.
GT Second Innings: 218/4 (20 overs)
Chasing 248, Gujarat Titans needed something special. They nearly got it. Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill attacked from ball one. The first wicket to fall was Nishant Sindhu, caught out for 1 off 4 balls in over 4.1 with GT at 49/1.
Sudharsan retired hurt on 53 off 28 (6 fours, 3 sixes, SR 189), having given GT a flying start before his early exit changed the chase dynamics.
Gill anchored the chase magnificently. The GT captain made 85 off 49 (5 fours, 7 sixes, SR 173) and kept his side in the hunt throughout. Jos Buttler arrived and punched 57 off 35 (5 fours, 2 sixes, SR 163) to push GT further into contention.
But the wickets fell at the worst possible moments. Gill was caught out at 177/3 in over 16.2 – GT needed 71 from 22 balls without their captain. Buttler was then caught out (sub) at 207/4 in over 18.5, leaving 41 needed from 7 balls. Rahul Tewatia could only score 2 off 4 before falling at 218 in the final over, and the chase fell 29 short.
Sunil Narine was KKR’s standout bowler with 2/29 from 4 overs (Econ 7.25). Cameron Green chipped in with 1/25 from 3 (Econ 8.33). Saurabh Dubey took 1/23 from 2.4 overs.
Statz MVP: Finn Allen – Rating 134.34
Statz calculates impact based on match context, and Finn Allen’s 93 off 35 at the top of the order scores 134.34 – a return that reflects not just the runs but the tempo those runs set for KKR’s 247. Official Man of the Match was Sunil Narine, whose 2/29 held GT in check in the middle overs. On this occasion, Statz disagrees – Allen’s innings fundamentally shaped the match result.
Top 5 Statz Ratings
- Finn Allen (KKR) – 134.34 – 93 off 35, 10 sixes, SR 266. The knock that built 247 and won the match.
- Cameron Green (KKR) – 90.94 – 52* off 28 bat plus 1/25 with the ball. Match-winning all-round contribution at No.4.
- Shubman Gill (GT) – 89.36 – 85 off 49. Gave GT a genuine shot at the chase but ran out of partners when it mattered most.
- Sunil Narine (KKR) – 81.4 – 2/29 from 4 overs, Econ 7.25. The official MoM, kept GT honest when runs were flowing.
- Sai Sudharsan (GT) – 72.7 – 53 retired hurt off 28 at SR 189. Gave GT a flying start before his early exit altered the chase entirely.
Turning Point
The critical moment came in over 16.2 with GT on 177/3. Shubman Gill, the man keeping the chase alive on 85, was caught out with GT needing 71 from 22 balls. Without their captain and anchor, the asking rate became unmanageable. GT made a brave fist of it but lacked the firepower to close the gap.
Match Context
KKR (7th, 11 pts from 12 games, W5 L6 NR1) are now firmly in the playoff conversation heading into the final stretch of the Regular Season. NRR of -0.038 means every result counts in what is an incredibly tight top-four race.
GT (2nd, 16 pts from 13 games, W8 L5) have now lost two in a row after a strong campaign. They remain in second place alongside RCB on 16 points, but RCB have played one fewer game and carry a far superior NRR (+1.034 vs +0.400). GT’s playoff place looks secure, but form is a concern.
Full standings: RCB 1st (16 pts), GT 2nd (16 pts), SRH 3rd (14 pts), PBKS 4th (13 pts), RR 5th (12 pts), CSK 6th (12 pts), KKR 7th (11 pts), DC 8th (10 pts), MI 9th (8 pts), LSG 10th (8 pts).
