AI Simulation, GT vs KKR | Rashid Khans magic spin seals clinical win for Gujarat

ByAnupam Pandey,SportsCafe Editor

Today at 1:26 PM

Kolkata Knight Riders continue their winless streak in the IPL 2026, as Gujarat Titans beat them at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Titans posted a competitive total, after which Rashid Khan’s spell dismantled the KKR batting line-up.

Pitch and Weather

The match will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium which is a balanced pitch. Batters will be able to enjoy the good bounce early in the game as the pacers will also receive some assistance under the lights. With the match progressing, the pitch will slow down eventually bringing the spinners into play.

Weather is expected to be warm and humid for this game, ideal for cricket. Dew is also expected to arrive in the second innings, which makes it easier to chase.

Toss

Kolkata Knight Riders wins the toss and decides to bowl first. The team looks to capitalise on the dew factor and chase under favourable conditions.

Lineups

Gujarat Titans: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (C), Jos Buttler, Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Ashok Sharma, Prasidh Krishna, Shahrukh Khan (Impact)

Kolkata Knight Riders: Ajinkya Rahane (C), Finn Allen (Impact), Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rovman Powell, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Varun Chakravarthy, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi (Impact)

Match Report

Gujarat Titans had a good start to their innings, as Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan formed a partnership. The duo put down 49 runs for no loss in the powerplay. Eventually, Vaibhav Arora went on to dismiss Sai Sudharsan, and Varun Chakravarthy soon took the wicket of Jos Buttler to slow down the run rate.

Shubman Gill anchored the innings as he scored 62, and Glenn Phillips supported him from the other end. Still, it was the spin duo of KKR, Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine, who dominated the middle overs. Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan gave a late finish to the team which made them score 168 for 7 in 20 overs.

In response, Kolkata Knight Riders get off to an aggressive start in the powerplay, as Finn Allen takes on the pacers. Soon enough, Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj helped GT to make a comeback, as the team put KKR at 61/3.

The turning point in this game arrived when Rashid Khan dismissed Cameron Green and Rovman Powell in this tight spell. KKR was left under pressure with this. Rinku Singh tried to keep the chase alive as he scored 45, but he didn't receive support from the other end.

Eventually, KKR needed 28 runs off the last 3 overs. At this time, Prasidh Krishna and Kagiso Rabada showed discipline in the death overs, putting KKR at 158/9 in 20 overs.