Gujarat Titans Beat Kolkata Knight Riders By Five Wickets In IPL 2026 Thriller

Gujarat Titans edged Kolkata Knight Riders by five wickets in a closely fought IPL 2026 match at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. Gill’s 86 powered the chase, while Green's 79 stood tall for KKR. The result elevates GT in the standings, with KKR remaining winless after six games.

Gujarat Titans edged past Kolkata Knight Riders by five wickets in a tense finish at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, chasing 181 with two balls left. Shubman Gill’s 86 set up Gujarat’s third straight win in IPL 2026, while Cameron Green’s 79 went in vain as Kolkata stayed winless after six matches.

The contest swung several times. Kolkata crashed early with the bat, then rebuilt through Green, only to lose momentum at the end. Gujarat responded with a rapid start, were briefly checked in the middle overs, and finally crossed the line through Rahul Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan despite late pressure from the Kolkata attack.

GT vs KKR: Brief scores and match context

Gujarat Titans finished on 181 for 5 in 19.4 overs, overhauling Kolkata Knight Riders’ 180 all out. Gill’s 86 off 49 balls dominated the chase, backed by useful cameos. Earlier, Green scored 79 off 55 for Kolkata, but could not find lasting support. The result left Gujarat climbing the IPL 2026 table, while Kolkata remained stuck at the bottom.

The scoreboard underlined how close the game stayed, yet also showed why Kolkata’s effort felt short. Their innings never fully recovered from early blows, and the collapse in the closing overs proved crucial. Gujarat, helped by better batting conditions under lights and the impact of dew, paced the chase smartly and kept the asking rate in control.

GT vs KKR: Gill, Tewatia and Shahrukh steer tense chase

Chasing 181, Gujarat Titans removed early nerves through a brisk opening stand. Gill and Sai Sudharsan went hard from the start, taking full advantage of a truer pitch and the presence of dew. They punched gaps on the off side, attacked anything short, and ensured Kolkata’s seamers never settled into a disciplined rhythm during the powerplay.

Gujarat reached 40 without loss in three overs, signalling the difference between the two innings. The ball came nicely onto the bat under lights, allowing both openers to play through the line. Gill cruised to 22 off 9 with clean strokes rather than slogging, while Sudharsan matched that intent once spin entered the attack.

GT vs KKR: Narine and Chakravarthy try to drag KKR back

Sunil Narine provided Kolkata Knight Riders with the first breakthrough. Reading Sudharsan’s sweep plans, Narine pushed one through quicker from over the wicket, drawing extra bounce. Sudharsan top-edged the stroke to short fine leg. Despite that wicket, Gujarat still sat strongly placed at 57 for 1 after 5.1 overs, well ahead of the required rate.

Jos Buttler then joined Gill and kept the tempo high. Buttler used nimble footwork to drive Narine through the off side, then launched a six over the same region. Even a quicker ball that deceived Buttler ended up deflecting fine for four. Gujarat closed the powerplay at 71 for 1, firmly in command and facing little scoreboard pressure.

GT vs KKR: Gill’s near-century anchors Gujarat Titans’ pursuit

Kolkata gained some control once Varun Chakravarthy removed Buttler for 29, caught at long-on after a failed attempt to go straight. With 86 required from 66 deliveries, the door opened slightly. Gujarat stood at 95 for 2 in 9.1 overs, giving Kolkata a rare window to squeeze and force errors through their spinners.

Gill prevented that squeeze from lasting. After his blistering start, Gill changed focus to strike rotation and placement. He worked singles, punished loose balls, and denied the bowlers quiet overs. His half-century arrived from 27 balls, but more importantly, Gujarat’s chase stayed ahead of the asking rate, leaving Kolkata relying on breakthroughs rather than dot-ball pressure.

GT vs KKR: Late wickets and composed finish for Gujarat Titans

Washington Sundar added 13 off 13 before miscuing a pull against Chakravarthy to deep square leg, ending a 46-run stand off 32 balls. That dismissal did not disturb Gujarat’s position much, as the equation still favoured the chasing side. Glenn Phillips entered with 40 needed from 33 balls and Gill well set, requiring only sensible batting to close the game.

The match tightened when Gill fell for 86. Cameron Green sprinted in from deep third, dived forward, and held a low catch inches from the turf after Gill sliced Vaibhav Arora’s full delivery. Gill’s frustration at missing a century was clear, yet Gujarat’s early work allowed Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan to absorb the pressure and finish the job in the final over.

GT vs KKR: Green leads Kolkata Knight Riders rebuild

Earlier, Kolkata Knight Riders’ innings revolved around Cameron Green after a poor start. Mohammed Siraj struck first ball to remove Ajinkya Rahane for a golden duck, snapping the opener with movement. Kagiso Rabada then produced a neat outswinger to dismiss Angkrish Raghuvanshi, leaving Kolkata reeling inside the powerplay and forced into consolidation rather than acceleration.

Tim Seifert attempted a counter-punch, striking a couple of fours and a six to disrupt the seamers. Rabada responded with a short ball that hurried Seifert, who gloved a catch to Phillips. At that stage, Kolkata desperately needed a long partnership. Green stepped into that role, starting with caution, valuing his wicket, and looking to bat through the innings.

GT vs KKR: Middle-overs fightback then death-overs collapse

Once settled, Green began finding regular boundaries. Partnerships with Rovman Powell and Anukul Roy steadied Kolkata and then gradually lifted the scoring rate. Those stands dragged the innings from trouble into a competitive zone, suggesting a possible 190-plus total if the finishing phase went smoothly and wickets remained intact for a final assault.

Green also handled Rashid Khan impressively across the middle overs. Green picked lengths well, read several variations, and refused to be tied down. There was some fortune too, including survival from an lbw appeal, a boundary off an outside edge, and a dropped catch by Sundar when Green was on 62. Green capitalised on those chances and kept Kolkata moving.

The last four overs undid much of that effort. Kolkata lost five wickets in 22 balls, and Green struggled to retain strike during crucial moments. Prasidh Krishna delivered tight death overs, nailing his lengths and limiting boundary options. Gujarat’s fielders backed the bowlers, cutting angles and restricting twos as Kolkata’s innings drifted away from a strong finish.

The final over from Rashid summed up the collapse. Green missed two attempted big shots, then took a single that left Vaibhav Arora exposed. Confusion followed, with a missed stumping and four byes, yet Kolkata still failed to find late momentum. Off the last ball, Green edged another big swing and was caught behind, ending on 79 as Kolkata were dismissed for 180, a score that proved slightly light.