Gujarat hands Kolkata its fourth straight loss, returns to top of table

Former champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) slumped its fourth defeat in a row as the Shreyas Iyer-led side lost to Gujarat Titans (GT) by eight runs in an IPL 2022 match on Saturday (April 23).

Gujarat rode on captain Hardik Pandya’s half-century to post 156/9 in 20 overs at the D Y Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.

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In reply, Kolkata was restricted to 148/8 in 20 overs. Andre Russell top-scored with 48.

With this win, Gujarat returned to the top of the table with 12 points from seven matches. Kolkata is at seventh with six points from eight games.

KKR’s top and middle order batters failed miserably in the wake of a clinical bowling display from the Titans with only Rinku Singh scoring 35 and it was left to Russell (48 off 25 balls) to go for a win and the West Indian nearly did it only to fail in the last over.

Russell was out on the second ball of the final over. He hit one four and six sixes. Needing 18 from the final over bowled by Alzarri Joseph, Russell hit the first ball for a six before Lockie Ferguson took a fine catch in the deep under pressure from the very next delivery to end KKRs hopes.

For the Titans, Mohammed Shami, Rashid Khan and Yash Dayal took two wickets apiece while Alzarri Joseph and Lockie Ferguson got one each.

Earlier, Hardik’s third fifty of the season was the lone saving grace in Gujarat Titans underwhelming batting show as they scored a below-par 156 for 9.

The Titans skipper missed the last game as a precautionary measure and looked a bit rusty even as he scored 67 off 49 balls with four boundaries and two sixes.

KKR bowled as many as 43 dot balls and were brilliant at the death as they conceded only 29 runs and took as many as seven wickets in the final five overs.

Andre Russell (4/5 in 1 over) got four wickets in the final over as Rinku Singh was a livewire in the field with four catches.

(With inputs from Agencies)