Kolkata, May 16 (IANS) Skipper Shubman Gill’s fluent 85 was not enough to extend Gujarat Titans’ winning run as Kolkata Knight Riders secured a 29‑run victory to halt their opponents’ five‑match unbeaten streak and keep their own playoff hopes alive in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday.

Gill's fighting knock came after Finn Allen’s blistering 93 set the tone for KKR before Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s career‑best 82 not out and Cameron Green’s unbeaten 52 powered the hosts to 247/2, and were also aided by GT’s poor fielding display. GT’s chase was built around Gill’s stroke‑filled 85 off 49 balls, laced with five fours and seven sixes.

Jos Buttler also chipped in with 57 off 35 balls, but the dismissal of both batters in quick succession left the chase adrift. Sai Sudharsan returned from a blow to the elbow to compile a fighting 53 not out off 28 balls. Yet GT ended up at 218/4, undone by KKR’s disciplined death bowling and a tight spell of 2-29 from Sunil Narine.

Chasing a daunting 248, GT began brightly with Sudharsan and Gill adding 42 runs in the first three overs, before the former retired hurt after being struck on the elbow. Nishant Sindhu replaced him but fell cheaply to Sunil Narine, caught at long‑off in the spinner’s 200th IPL appearance.

Gill pressed on, carving Matheesha Pathirana, who later went off the field after picking up a hamstring strain, through extra cover and launching Narine and Anukul Roy for successive sixes. Buttler joined in by cutting Varun Chakaravarthy for four and adding steady singles as the partnership grew.

Gill looked in supreme touch and reached his fifty off 33 balls and continued to dominate, smashing Varun Chakaravarthy for back‑to‑back sixes and a four. Buttler too found rhythm, carving Tyagi for six and reaching his half‑century with a diving second run. At 177/1 in 16 overs, GT appeared in contention to complete the chase, needing 71 off the last four overs.

But Narine struck the decisive blow when Gill swept straight to Anukul Roy at the ropes. Buttler tried to keep the chase alive by carving boundaries, but sliced to long‑off against Saurabh Dubey. Sudharsan returned to complete his innings, reaching a fighting fifty, but the task had grown too steep.

Cameron Green closed out the match with a short ball that Tewatia gloved to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, as KKR moved to sixth spot and are just two points behind Punjab Kings, who are at fourth place.

Brief scores:

Kolkata Knight Riders 247/2 in 20 overs (Finn Allen 93, Angkrish Raghuvanshi 82 not out; R Sai Kishore 1-38, Mohammed Siraj 1-50) beat Gujarat Titans 218/4 in 20 overs (Shubman Gill 85, Jos Buttler 57; Sunil Narine 2-29, Saurabh Dubey 1-23) by 29 runs

--IANS

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