GT’s victory pushes KKR to edge of cliff

Kolkata, April 29

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Defending champions Gujarat Titans once again came up with a clinical display to prevail over Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets in the IPL here today and climb to the top of the table.

It was a sweet revenge for Gujarat, who had lost their home game due to Rinku Singh’s heroics.

First, Gujarat’s pace duo of Mohammad Shami (3/33) and Josh Little (2/25) picked five wickets between them, while left-arm spinner Noor Ahmad (2/21) continued his fine run to restrict Kolkata to a below-par 179/7 after Hardik Pandya opted to bowl.

On a batting-friendly strip, Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s scintillating 39-ball 81 set the tempo but Kolkata managed just 45 runs and lost three wickets in the final five overs to miss the 200-run mark.

In reply, Gujarat raced to the target in 17.5 overs, with Vijay Shankar remaining unbeaten on 51 off 24 balls.

Defending the total, the hosts had their moments when they stopped Shubman Gill at 49 and almost had David Miller on 26. But they committed a harakiri as Miller’s skier, which would have been a straightforward catch for their wicketkeeper, was attempted by Suyash Sharma from third man and he ended up grassing it.

At that time, Gujarat needed 51 runs from 29 balls but it turned out to be a game-changing moment as Shankar and Miller (32 not out) sealed the issue in an unbroken 87-run unbroken partnership that came off 39 balls.

The win took Gujarat to the top of the standings with 12 points from eight matches and need to win two more to seal a spot in the playoffs for a second time in a row.

Kolkata, on the other hand, are staring at an early elimination after suffering their sixth defeat from nine matches and must all their remaining five matches now to have a shot at making the playoffs.

Brief scores: Kolkata Knight Riders: 179/7 in 20 overs (Gurbaz 81; Ahmad 2/21, Little 2/25); Gujarat Titans: 180/3 in 17.5 overs (Shankar 51*, Gill 49*; Narine 1/24). — PTI

Marsh’s show not enough

New Delhi: Mitchell Marsh dished out one of his finest all-round performances but it wasn’t enough as Sunrisers Hyderabad returned to winning ways with a comprehensive nine-run win over Delhi Capitals in the IPL here today.

Brilliant fifties by Abhishek Sharma (67 off 36) and Heinrich Klaasen (53 off 27) propelled SRH to 197/6 despite Mitchell Marsh’s four-for. In reply, the likes of Marsh and Phil Salt (59 off 35) smashed fifties but in the end it wasn’t enough as DC reached 188/6 in 20 overs.

Brief scores: SRH: 197/6 (Abhishek 67, Klaasen 53; Marsh 4/27); DC: 188/6 (Marsh 63, Salt 59; Markande 2/20).