IPL 2026: GT vs KKR Highlights, Match 25 - Stats, Player of the Match & More
Shubman Gill (Source: IPLT20.com)
Published - 17 Apr 2026, 09:43 PM• Read time - 7 mins
Gujarat Titans (GT) continued their victory run in the Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026), beating Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 5 wickets in Match 25 on Friday, April 17 at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. After opting to bat first, KKR were bundled out for 180 in their 20 overs, with Cameron Green (79 off 55) finally finding his form.
In reply, Gujarat chased down the target in 19.4 overs, with captain Shubman Gill leading the way with a magnificent innings.
Seifert (19 off 14) also hit Rabada straight to Glenn Phillips at point, leaving his team reeling at 32/3 in 4 overs. After three quick blows, Cameron Green and Rovman Powell (27 off 20), stitched a 55-run stand off 42 balls for the fourth wicket before Ashok Sharma (2/45) got Powell holed out.
At the other end, Green finally found his form, scoring a 34-ball half-century. However, there was a lack of support for the Australian as KKR lost the last six wickets for 33 runs in 32 deliveries and got all out for a below-par score.
In the second innings, GT got off to a great start to their chase, with Sai Sudharsan (22 off 16) and Shubman Gill adding 57 runs for the first wicket off 31 balls. Sudharsan fell prey to Sunil Narine, bringing Jos Buttler to the crease, who stitched another 38-run stand off 24 balls with Gill.
The GT captain brought up his half-century off 27 balls and got his team closer to victory, anchoring the chase majestically. Gill was finally dismissed in the 17th over, courtesy of a brilliant catch from Cameron Green. As he returned to the pavilion, there were some hiccups in the chase as Glenn Phillips (19 off 16) found Rinku Singh at deep mid wicket, with GT still requiring four runs to win off the last five balls.
In the end, it was the calm head of Rahul Tewatia (7* off 6) and Shahrukh Khan (3* off 2) that guided their team over the line. Following their victory, Gujarat rose to fourth spot on the points table with three wins from five matches, having six points to their name. On the other hand, Kolkata continued to languish at the bottom with just one point from six matches.
Top run-scorer of the Match
|
Player |
Team |
Runs |
Balls |
Fours |
Sixes |
Strike Rate |
|
Shubman Gill |
Gujarat Titans |
86 |
50 |
8 |
4 |
172 |
Top wicket-taker of the Match
|
Player |
Team |
Overs |
Maiden |
Runs |
Wickets |
Economy |
|
Kagiso Rabada |
Gujarat Titans |
4 |
0 |
29 |
3 |
7.20 |
Player of the Match
Shubman Gill was adjudged Player of the Match for his magnificent knock, which helped anchor GT's chase. He stitched crucial stands with Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler, and Washington Sundar (46 off 32) and ensured that the required run rate never got out of hand.
Turning Point
KKR were cruising at 147/4 in 14.4 overs with Cameron Green and Anukul Roy at the crease. It seemed as if they would easily surpass the 200-run mark and challenge Gujarat. However, all of their hopes were dashed by the GT's bowling attack, which was successful in sparking a dramatic collapse in the death overs.
As a result, KKR lost the last six wickets for 33 runs and were bundled out for 180. It was the collective bowling effort that became the turning point of the match and ensured that GT didn't have a mountain to climb in their final overs, where things became a bit tricky.
What did the captains say:
Winning Captain, Shubman Gill (Gujarat Titans):
Honestly I don't think it matters, all that matters is the win. Ideally we would have liked to finish it at least a couple of overs before. I should have been there to finish it, hopefully next time I will be there. The way both of them were bowling, it felt they could get a wicket every ball, it was a decision, I asked both of them, it is very hot and it is difficult to bowl three overs on the trot. They took the game away from us in the middle overs, but it was important to still to take wickets, they have a long batting line-up, I think Sunil came in at number 9, but still to have that mindset of taking wickets is important. Fitness was one thing I worked on, apart from that working on the mental aspect of the game.
Losing Captain, Ajinkya Rahane (Kolkata Knight Riders):
As you said, it’s never easy to come out and talk immediately after losing a game. But I’d like to focus on the positives. The way we started, losing three wickets early, it was tough. Cameron Green’s innings was outstanding, he was under pressure, but the way he counterattacked and took on their bowlers was amazing to see. At 147 for 4, getting to around 180 was slightly difficult for us as a batting unit. But credit to our bowlers, the way they bowled and took the game till the last over, everyone contributed really well. I thought he (Gill) batted really well. The lengths we bowled were slightly on the shorter side, and the ball was coming onto the bat nicely when pitched up. There was also a bit of dew. But again, no excuses, 180 was a decent total. We needed wickets in the powerplay, but they batted beautifully. Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill were excellent. The powerplay was crucial, but I still want to credit our bowlers. It’s not easy when things aren’t going your way, but they kept coming back and pushing hard. He (Green) was actually struggling with cramps, which is why he was in and out of the field. That’s the reason he didn’t bowl. It’s all about staying in the moment. When things aren’t going your way, you tend to overthink. We just need to focus on the present, go out there, enjoy the game, and back ourselves as a unit instead of worrying about things beyond our control. As a team, we just want to play our game, be aggressive and positive from ball one.
