IPL 2023, KKR VS GT: Vijay Shankar’s Blitz Propels Gujarat past Kolkata at Eden Gardens

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were defeated by Gujarat Titans (GT) by 7 wickets in the 39th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, held at Eden Gardens, KKR’s home ground. This loss has led KKR to slip down in the points table and now they have 12 points with an NRR of +0.63. The batters of GT showcased remarkable mental strength as the pitch was not performing as expected and the pressure was all on them.

The opening partnership between Rahmanullah Gurbaz and N Jagadeesan was a delight to watch, as they provided a solid start to KKR’s innings. Jagadeesan exhibited his mastery by hitting three exquisite fours in the second over bowled by Hardik Pandya. He continued his impressive form, adding another boundary off Mohammed Shami’s bowling in the following over, but his impressive knock was brought to an end by Shami, as he departed for 19.

KKR’s decision to promote Shardul Thakur up the order proved to be a failed tactic, as he departed for a duck. However, Gurbaz looked confident and continued to dominate the GT bowlers. He struck two massive sixes off Pandya in the fourth over and followed it up with a six and a four off Shami’s bowling. Gurbaz gave a grand welcome to his fellow countryman Rashid Khan, hitting him for two more boundaries and helping KKR reach 61 for 2 at the end of the powerplay.

The next few overs saw tight bowling from GT’s Joshua Little and Noor Ahmad, who conceded only 10 and 4 runs respectively. Little’s fantastic 11th over was a game-changer, dismissing Venkatesh Iyer and Nitish Rana, leaving KKR in a precarious position at 88 for 4. Despite the wickets falling at the other end, Gurbaz remained unfazed and showcased his talent, scoring a splendid 81 off just 39 balls. His innings was embellished with 5 fours and 7 sixes, but it finally came to an end in the sixteenth over when he was dismissed by Noor Ahmad. Birthday boy Andre Russell’s blistering cameo of 34 runs off 19 balls added the final flourish to KKR’s innings, helping them post a competitive total of 179.

IPL 2023, KKR VS GT: Shankar, Miller and Gill Drive Gujarat to Comfortable Win over Kolkata

The opening duo of Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill provided Gujarat Titans with a flying start, adding 41 runs in just 4.1 overs. Gill was the aggressor, smashing two fours off Andre Russell in the second over and four consecutive fours off Rana in the third over.

Saha also got in on the action, hitting a four off Varun Chakaravarthy, but was dismissed by Russell for 10 in the fifth over. Despite the setback, GT finished the powerplay on 52 for 1. Gill and captain Hardik Pandya then combined to add another 50 runs for the second wicket before KKR struck twice in quick succession, with Rana dismissing Pandya for 26 and Russell sending back Gill for 49, leaving GT 3 down for 93.

However, the duo of Vijay Shankar and David Miller had other plans as they mounted a successful chase. Miller broke the shackles in the 15th over with two sixes off Suyash Sharma, and Shankar added a four to the total. They scored 18 runs in that over, and in the 16th over, they added 13 more runs to their total.

Although KKR seemed to be regaining the upper hand, Shankar turned the game around by smashing Chakravarthy for 3 sixes in the 17th over, taking GT just 14 runs short of the target after 17 overs. Shankar then reached his fifty off just 24 balls with a six off Nitish Rana in the next over, before a wide delivery sealed the victory for GT.