Kolkata Knight Riders kept their playoff hopes alive with a commanding 29-run win over Gujarat Titans at Eden Gardens, powered by a blazing batting display from Finn Allen and Angkrish Raghuvanshi, despite strong resistance from GT’s top order.
Finn Allen's breathtaking 93 and Angkrish Raghuvanshi's equally engaging 82 were the differentiators as Kolkata Knight Riders made Gujarat Titans pay heavily for their sloppy fielding to secure a 29-run win, keeping their slender playoff hopes alive in the IPL match in Kolkata on Saturday.
Allen's explosive 35-ball knock laid the platform before Raghuvanshi, whose unbeaten innings came off 44 balls, and Cameron Green (52 not out; 28b) finished strongly. They added 108 runs off just 53 balls, lifting KKR to a season-best 247 for two.
Gill-Buttler stand
In reply, skipper Shubman Gill (85, 49b), Jos Buttler (57, 35b) and Sai Sudharsan (53 n.o., 28b) fought well, but GT had to settle for 218 for four.
The victory meant that KKR now have 11 points from 12 matches, moving up to seventh on the table. But they will have to win their remaining two matches to remain in contention for a knockout stage berth. GT retained their second place on the table with 16 points with a game left.
In their massive chase, Gujarat Titans responded positively despite an early setback when in-form opener Sai Sudharsan retired hurt on 23 after being struck on the elbow by pacer Kartik Tyagi. Though the left-handed batter returned to the crease later.
At the other end, Gill produced a batting masterclass to keep GT in the hunt as the elegant right-hander smashed five fours and seven sixes, while Buttler was equally effective in a 128-run partnership for the second wicket that came off just 73 balls.
After playing out four dot balls against Narine early on, he broke free with a slog-sweep over cow corner before stepping down the track to launch another six over long-on. The right-hander also tore into Varun Chakravarthy, hammering two sixes and two fours in one over.
GT remained firmly in the chase despite KKR's Matheesha Pathirana, who came in as the Impact Sub for Finn Allen, suffered a hamstring injury during his second over and had to walk out.
Gill's superb innings finally ended when Narine lured him into a false shot, with Anukul Roy taking a well-judged catch at fine leg as the spinner returned with 2/29 in his landmark 200th match for KKR.
Late blows and missed chances derail Gujarat Titans
Sudharsan returned after Gill's dismissal and briefly revived hopes by taking 21 runs off Tyagi, while Buttler also reached his fifty in style with a four and a six off the pacer.
However, Buttler's dismissal in the 19th over effectively ended GT's hopes as KKR closed out a vital win on their home return.
Key Points
- KKR posted a season-best 247/2, driven by Finn Allen’s 35-ball 93 and Raghuvanshi’s unbeaten 82.
- GT’s chase of 218/4 was led by Shubman Gill (85), Jos Buttler (57) and Sai Sudharsan (53 n.o.), but fell short.
- Gujarat Titans' sloppy fielding, including multiple dropped catches, proved costly against KKR.
- Cameron Green contributed unbeaten fifty, maintaining KKR's momentum.
- KKR's dominant batting display saw them reach 100 in nine overs and 200 in just eight more.
Asked to bowl first by Gill on a sticky surface that had remained under covers after rain, Gujarat's disciplined attack struggled badly as poor catching compounded their problems during KKR's relentless batting display.
The explosive New Zealand opener made GT pay dearly for dropping him on 14 and 33, smashing 10 sixes and four boundaries in a breathtaking assault where 86 runs came through boundaries.
If Allen ripped apart the bowling in the first half, Angkrish Raghuvanshi (82 not out) and Cameron Green (52 not out) maintained the momentum with unbeaten fifties in their 108-run stand off just 53 balls for the third wicket.
Gujarat Titans' Costly Fielding Errors
GT dropped as many as four catches in the innings with all the three KKR half-centurions -- Allen, Raghuvanshi and Green -- making them pay heavily.
Raghuvanshi got a reprieve on 52 by Washington Sundar. Green was dropped on 23 by Arshad Khan off Rashid Khan.
Asked to bowl first by skipper Shubman Gill on a sticky surface that had remained under covers after rain, Gujarat's disciplined attack struggled badly as poor catching compounded their problems during KKR's relentless batting display.
KKR's Dominant Batting Display
Allen set the tone as the home side raced to 100 in nine overs, then they took just eight overs to get to 200 with Green-Raghuvanshi combine doing well in their must-win match.
He survived a difficult chance on 14 when the tall Jason Holder got fingertips to a sharp opportunity at cover off Mohammed Siraj.
The Kiwi opener then tore into Kagiso Rabada, launching successive sixes -- one straight over mid-off and another whipped over midwicket off a 149kph delivery -- to race to 28 from just 11 balls.
Allen's Explosive Innings and Key Partnerships
While Allen dominated from one end, Ajinkya Rahane never quite settled during his scratchy 14 off 14 balls before Siraj cleaned him up.
There was a brief slowdown inside the powerplay after Rahane's departure before Allen got another life.
Introduced into the attack, Holder induced a mishit from the batter, but Siraj spilled a straightforward catch at long-on.
From there, Allen went into overdrive.
He attacked both pace and spin with equal ease, picking lengths early and clearing the boundaries effortlessly.
Rashid was welcomed with two sixes and a four as Allen stormed to a 21-ball half-century.
Raghuvanshi played the ideal supporting role. The young batter used the pace cleverly and kept the scoreboard ticking, including a sharp scoop over the wicketkeeper off Rabada to get going.
Allen looked set for a second IPL hundred this season before Rashid finally ended the carnage, taking a well-judged catch at deep midwicket off Sai Kishore.
Green ensured there was no let-up in the closing overs.
The Australian all-rounder tore into the GT attack with three sixes, while Raghuvanshi also stepped up as KKR finished with a big total.
Key Statistics
KKR posted 247/2 — the highest total Gujarat Titans have ever conceded in IPL history.
Before this match, KKR openers had failed to survive the powerplay together in all 12 innings of IPL 2026. Their opening stands produced just 292 runs at 24.33 — the worst average among all teams — with only one fifty-plus partnership before this game.
Most 50+ scores by a 21-year-old in an IPL season
6 — Rishabh Pant (2018)
6 — Yashasvi Jaiswal (2023)
5 — Devdutt Padikkal (2022)
5* — Angkrish Raghuvanshi (2026)
Most 50+ scores in an IPL season for KKR
6 — Gautam Gambhir (2012)
5 — Robin Uthappa (2014)
5 — Gautam Gambhir (2016)
5 — Robin Uthappa (2017)
5* — Angkrish Raghuvanshi (2026)
Most sixes by a KKR batter in a single IPL innings
13 — Brendon McCullum vs RCB, Bengaluru (2008)
11 — Andre Russell vs CSK, Chennai (2018)
10 — Finn Allen vs DC, Delhi (2026)
10 — Finn Allen vs GT, Kolkata (2026)
Next Matches
May 17 2026, at 3:30 PM IST: Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamshala
May 17 2026, at 7: 30 PM IST: Delhi Capitals vs Rajasthan Royals, Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
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