Gill’s 86, Rabada-Siraj burst help GT win over KKR

Shubman Gill's elegant 86 complemented a probing new-ball spell from Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj as Gujarat Titans registered a commanding five-wicket win over laggards Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League here on Friday.

Gill was in complete command, firing on all cylinders as he steered the Titans to their third win of the season. This was after the pace duo of Rabada (3/29) and Siraj (2/23) had ripped through the KKR top order, exploiting movement with the new ball to bowl them out for 180.

KKR's total was largely propped up by Cameron Green's fighting 79 off 55 balls, his first significant contribution with the bat this season. The former champions continue to remain winless in the ongoing edition.

The two powerplays told the tale of the match. While KKR limped to 37 for 3, Gill powered GT to a commanding 71 for 1, seizing early control of the chase.

Chasing a below par total, Gill set the tone from the outset, striking three boundaries, including a pristine straight drive, and a six in the first three overs.

He then anchored the innings with poise, pacing his knock to perfection. His innings was peppered with eight fours and four sixes.

While KKR managed to pick up a few wickets, they were never able to stem the flow of runs or apply sustained pressure.

When Sai Sudharsan departed, Jos Buttler ensured there was no let-up, announcing his arrival by cracking a boundary off his first ball before following it up with a six and another four in quick succession.

Earlier, KKR were rocked early, losing three wickets in the first four overs.

Rabada and Siraj bowled with precision, while Ashok Sharma (2/45) and Prasidh Krishna (1/32) provided able support.

Green, who found it hard to get going in the beginning, weathered the early storm before breaking free in the middle overs, smashing seven fours and four sixes in his 55-ball stay.

He stitched together a 55-run stand with Rovman Powell and followed it up with a 60-run partnership with Anukul Roy.

Green particularly relished facing Rashid Khan, taking him apart for five boundaries and four sixes but the Afghanistan spinner had him caught behind off the final ball of the innings.

Luck, too, favoured him. He survived an early LBW appeal, saw an outside edge fly to the boundary, and was dropped on 62 by Washington Sundar off the very next ball.

However, he waged a lone battle as no other KKR batter could survive in the middle for long.

To add to KKR's woes, Green was starved of strike towards the fag end of the innings, watching wickets tumble at the non-striker's end.

Siraj and Rabada had set the tone of the match in the powerplay itself.

Ajinkya Rahane was the first to fall, dismissed for a golden duck in the opening over by Siraj. Rabada then struck with the ball, producing a lovely outswinger that drew young Angkrish Raghuvanshi into a tentative poke, only to find the edge through to the wicketkeeper.

Tim Seifert, playing his first game of the season, stay was cut short as Rabada deceived him with a short-of-a-length delivery, which the Kiwi slapped straight to his compatriot Glenn Phillips at point.