Shubman Gill’s 86 steers Gujarat Titans past Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2026

Gujarat Titans defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by five wickets in Match 25 of the Indian Premier League 2026 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on April 17, 2026. Shubman Gill, the Gujarat Titans captain, anchored the chase with 86 off 50 balls as Gujarat Titans reached the target of 181 in 19.4 overs with two balls remaining. The result extended Gujarat Titans’ strong home record at Narendra Modi Stadium and exposed once again the fragility of Kolkata Knight Riders’ top order across the IPL 2026 season.

How did Kolkata Knight Riders bat in Match 25 of IPL 2026 at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad?

Kolkata Knight Riders won the toss and elected to bat first under clear skies in very hot conditions in Ahmedabad. The decision appeared reasonable on a pitch assessed as normal, at a venue known for its flat, batter-friendly surface and fast outfield. However, the Kolkata Knight Riders top order collapsed inside the opening four overs, undermining the strategic rationale of batting first almost from the outset.

Ajinkya Rahane was dismissed for a duck off the first over, caught off Mohammed Siraj without facing a meaningful delivery. Angkrish Raghuvanshi followed in the second over for 8 off 4 balls, removed by Kagiso Rabada. Tim Seifert, who had struck 19 off 14 balls including a six, was also caught off Rabada in the fourth over. Kolkata Knight Riders had lost three wickets for fewer than 40 runs and were in serious early trouble.

Cameron Green, the Australian all-rounder playing for Kolkata Knight Riders, responded with one of the more significant individual innings of the Indian Premier League 2026 season to that point. Green batted at number four and scored 79 off 55 balls, hitting 7 fours and 4 sixes at a strike rate of 143.64. He occupied the crease for 91 minutes, forming partnerships across the middle and lower order while wickets continued to fall at the other end. Rovman Powell, the West Indian batter, provided the most substantive support, contributing 27 off 20 balls in a fourth-wicket stand of 55 with Green before being dismissed by Ashok Sharma in the 11th over.

The Kolkata Knight Riders lower order failed to capitalise adequately on the platform Green had built. Anukul Roy scored 9 off 7, Rinku Singh managed 1 off 2, and Sunil Narine contributed a five-ball duck — a notable failure for a player of his proven hitting capability. Ramandeep Singh offered brief late acceleration with 17 off 8 balls at a strike rate of 212.5 in the 17th over, but the innings never found the late surge it required. Green was dismissed for 79 off the final over by Rashid Khan, and Kolkata Knight Riders were bowled out for 180 in 20 overs. The total was competitive but, given the conditions at Narendra Modi Stadium, fell short of what would have been a genuinely challenging score.

For Gujarat Titans with ball in hand, Kagiso Rabada was the standout performer. The South African fast bowler took 3 wickets off 4 overs conceding 29 runs at an economy rate of 7.25, removing three of the top four Kolkata Knight Riders batters and engineering the collapse that defined the innings. Mohammed Siraj was equally disciplined in the new-ball phase, taking 2 wickets off 4 overs at an economy rate of 5.75. Ashok Sharma and Rashid Khan were more expensive, conceding 45 and 44 runs respectively off their four overs, though both contributed wickets. Prasidh Krishna took 1 wicket at an economy of 8.

How did Shubman Gill and Gujarat Titans chase down 181 against Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2026?

Gujarat Titans entered the chase with a clear strategic intent from the first ball. Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan put on 57 runs off 31 balls for the opening wicket, establishing an aggressive platform that put Gujarat Titans ahead of the required rate early in the innings. Sudharsan scored 22 off 16 balls, including 2 sixes, before being caught off Sunil Narine in the sixth over.

Jos Buttler, the English wicketkeeper-batter, came in at number three and maintained the tempo with 25 off 15 balls — 2 fours and 2 sixes at a strike rate of 166.67 — before being dismissed by Varun Chakravarthy in the 10th over. Washington Sundar provided measured support at number four, scoring 13 off 13 balls, before Chakravarthy removed him in the 15th over. The loss of four wickets between overs six and seventeen briefly tightened the contest, reducing Gujarat Titans’ margin of comfort and handing Kolkata Knight Riders a window of opportunity that their bowling attack was unable to exploit fully.

Shubman Gill was the constant through every phase of the Gujarat Titans chase. His 86 off 50 balls — 8 fours, 4 sixes, strike rate 172 — was an innings of control and authority, paced to ensure the required run rate never climbed to a level that would require a reckless approach. Gill was eventually dismissed for 86 in the 17th over by Vaibhav Arora, caught in the deep, but Gujarat Titans needed only 19 runs off the final three overs at that point.

Glenn Phillips scored 19 off 16 before being dismissed by Ramandeep Singh off the second ball of the final over. Rahul Tewatia, unbeaten on 7 off 6 balls, and Shahrukh Khan, unbeaten on 3 off 2 balls, sealed the result immediately afterwards. Gujarat Titans reached 181 for 5 in 19.4 overs, winning by five wickets with two balls to spare.

Varun Chakravarthy was Kolkata Knight Riders’ most effective bowler in the chase, taking 2 wickets off 4 overs at an economy rate of 8.50. Sunil Narine was economical with 1 wicket off 4 overs conceding 28 runs. Kartik Tyagi was expensive across his four overs, conceding 40 runs at an economy rate of 10, and Anukul Roy was the most costly option used, conceding 37 runs off 3 overs at an economy rate of 12.33.

What does this IPL 2026 result mean for Gujarat Titans and Kolkata Knight Riders?

• Gujarat Titans defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by five wickets in IPL 2026 Match 25 at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, chasing 181 in 19.4 overs.
• Shubman Gill scored 86 off 50 balls at a strike rate of 172 to anchor the Gujarat Titans chase, forming the foundation of every significant partnership in the second innings.
• Cameron Green scored 79 off 55 balls for Kolkata Knight Riders but received insufficient support from a top order that lost three wickets inside four overs and a lower order that failed to accelerate consistently.
• Kagiso Rabada took 3 wickets off 4 overs at an economy rate of 7.25 to dismantle the Kolkata Knight Riders top order, while Mohammed Siraj took 2 wickets at an economy of 5.75.
• Kolkata Knight Riders will be concerned by the recurring fragility of their top order in IPL 2026, with their innings in Ahmedabad built almost entirely on a single player’s contribution.

Gujarat Titans vs Kolkata Knight Riders, 25th Match, Indian Premier League 2026 scorecard