IPL 2023: 39th Match KKR vs GT: April 29, 2023

Rahmanullah Gurbaz, filling in for the injured Jason Roy, put on a remarkable display by scoring 81 off just 39 balls against his former franchise, the Gujarat Titans. Despite his sensational innings, the Kolkata Knight Riders could only manage a total of 179 runs. However, the Titans chased down the target with 13 balls to spare, although they faced a slight scare in the middle overs.

Gurbaz’s standout performance included a brilliant takedown of Rashid Khan, who conceded 50 runs or more for only the second time in the IPL. Unfortunately, Gurbaz lacked support from his teammates, with the exception of Andre Russell, who scored a quickfire 34 off 19 deliveries towards the end of the innings.

During the middle overs, Josh Little proved to be a challenge for the Knight Riders, as he tied them down and took crucial wickets. Meanwhile, Noor Ahmad, representing the Afghan presence, registered impressive figures of 4-0-21-2, including the dismissal of Gurbaz.

In the Titans’ chase, Shubman Gill, a former Knight Rider, set up a solid foundation, and Vijay Shankar and David Miller finished the job in style, despite a brief period of uncertainty caused by the loss of two quick wickets in the middle overs.

The match began 45 minutes late due to a passing shower, and the rumble of a thunderstorm during the toss prompted the Titans to change their decision and opt to bowl first. The pitch offered some assistance to the bowlers, and Mohammed Shami capitalized on the conditions, picking up wickets during the powerplay.

While the Knight Riders struggled to find boundaries, Gurbaz stood out by consistently finding the gaps in the field. His innings included impressive shots, such as a pick-up pull off Hardik Pandya and a wristy pick-up six. However, it was his attacking display against his compatriot Rashid that truly impressed, as he made room, picked the variations, and hit him down the ground for 30 runs off just 11 deliveries.

Although Rashid faced significant punishment, Josh Little managed to halt the Knight Riders’ momentum by extracting extra bounce from the pitch. His tight bowling in the seventh and ninth overs limited the opposition to just 10 runs. In his third over, he dismissed Venkatesh Iyer through an lbw decision and found Nitish Rana’s edge for a catch at backward point.

The arrival of Rinku Singh, the hero of the previous match against the Titans but struggling to score quickly against spin in the IPL, slowed down the Knight Riders even further. Eventually, Gurbaz fell to a full toss from Noor Ahmad, having scored 54 runs off 53 deliveries. The team heavily relied on a late burst from Andre Russell, who admitted in a post-match interview that they fell short by 20 runs.

Shubman Gill’s explosive batting at the start of the Titans’ innings made it apparent that the Knight Riders’ total was insufficient. He raced to 35 off 20 balls in the powerplay without even attempting a six, and like Gurbaz, he dominated the early scoring by contributing 44 of the first 70 runs. The Knight Riders’ spinners played a crucial role in bringing their team back into the contest with tight overs.

Just as Hardik Pandya began to accelerate, he fell victim to a well-executed delivery from Harshit Rana, who replaced the injured Umesh Yadav. Gill, who had taken 10 balls to progress from 40 to 49, attempted to hit a six off Sunil Narine but ended up handing him his first wicket in six matches.

David Miller entered the scene with 69 runs required off the last six overs. Instead of opting for a patient approach, Shankar and Miller decided to go on the offensive. Miller took on Suyash Sharma and launched two sixes, which prompted the return of the pace bowlers.

Vijay Shankar joined the onslaught, hitting a six off Andre Russell before dismantling his Tamil Nadu teammate Varun Chakravarthy with three consecutive sixes in the 17th over. In no time, Shankar reached his fifty in just 24 balls, and the Titans regained their position at the top of the table with six wins out of eight matches.

The match faced a delayed start of 45 minutes due to a brief shower, causing the Titans to alter their decision at the toss and choose to bowl first. The pitch offered assistance to the bowlers, particularly Mohammed Shami, who capitalized on the seam movement. He bowled throughout the powerplay and claimed the wickets of N Jagadeesan and the returning Shardul Thakur.

Despite the Knight Riders’ struggles to find boundaries, Rahmanullah Gurbaz stood out with an exceptional innings. He consistently found gaps in the field, hitting some impressive shots, including a pick-up pull off Hardik Pandya and a wristy pick-up six. Gurbaz particularly targeted his compatriot Rashid Khan, attacking him down the ground and scoring 30 runs off just 11 balls.

Josh Little played a crucial role in slowing down the Knight Riders during the middle overs. He extracted extra bounce from the pitch, frustrating the batsmen and resulting in wickets. Noor Ahmad, representing the Afghan presence, put up an impressive bowling display, finishing with figures of 4-0-21-2, including the dismissal of Gurbaz.

In the Titans’ chase, former Knight Rider Shubman Gill laid the foundation with a brisk start. He scored 35 runs off 20 balls in the powerplay without attempting a single six. Gill’s dominance continued as he contributed 44 runs out of the first 70 scored by the Titans.

The Knight Riders’ spinners fought back, applying pressure with tight overs. However, Hardik Pandya’s dismissal to Harshit Rana and Gill’s attempt to hit a six off Sunil Narine resulted in breakthroughs for the Knight Riders.

With 69 runs needed off the last six overs, Vijay Shankar and David Miller decided to attack rather than absorb more spin. Miller’s onslaught against Suyash Sharma included two sixes, which forced the return of the pace bowlers. Shankar joined the assault, hitting a six off Andre Russell and then demolishing Varun Chakravarthy with three consecutive sixes in the 17th over. Shankar reached his fifty in just 24 balls, guiding the Titans to victory and reclaiming the top spot on the table with six wins out of eight matches.