Kolkata Knight Riders kept their IPL 2026 playoff hopes alive with an important 29-run win over Gujarat Titans at Eden Gardens on Saturday. The victory also ended GT’s impressive five-match winning streak and pushed KKR up to sixth place on the points table.
Finn Allen’s explosive 93 at the top of the order and a disciplined bowling effort from Sunil Narine helped Kolkata register one of their biggest wins of the season against an in-form Gujarat side.
Shubman Gill blames poor fielding after GT defeat
Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill admitted that his side’s sloppy fielding played a major role in the defeat, especially after KKR opener Finn Allen was dropped multiple times during his innings.
Allen made GT pay heavily for those missed chances with a brutal knock that completely changed the momentum of the match.
“Looking at the wicket, 200-210 was par score, but we dropped too many catches. Pitch was good, the odd one was stopping, but I felt we batted well to get to the score we did. No concerns, but our fielding could’ve been a lot better.
“We set a certain standard, and dropping 3 sitters – we didn’t deserve to win this one. Looking at it that way, best to have a game like this now than in the Qualifiers. I think rest and recover for a couple of days, travel back to Ahmedabad, see how the wicket is, and then plan accordingly (for the next game),” Gill said after the match.
Finn Allen’s explosive knock powers KKR
KKR finally produced the kind of batting performance they had been searching for throughout the season. Finn Allen attacked the Gujarat bowlers from the very beginning and played one of the most destructive innings of IPL 2026.
The New Zealand batter smashed 93 runs and gave Kolkata complete control during the powerplay itself. GT bowlers struggled to stop the scoring once Allen settled in at the crease.
The missed catches only made things worse for Gujarat, who had otherwise looked one of the strongest teams of the tournament over the last few weeks.
Sunil Narine shines again for Kolkata
Veteran all-rounder Sunil Narine once again delivered in a pressure game for KKR. Apart from his experience on the field, Narine also played an important role with the ball and finished with figures of 2-29.
The performance came during his milestone appearance for Kolkata Knight Riders.
“It comes with hard work. The guys have been training really well, putting in the hard yards, and it’s showing. Hope it continues, no matter what the tournament has in store for us.
“It’s all about planning what is in front of you. Every game brings a different challenge. All about trying to win the scenarios and trying not to overthink. Being a senior guy, God has given me the talent and health to play 200; hopefully, I play many more,” he said.
Angkrish Raghuvanshi reflects on career-best knock
Young batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi also impressed with an unbeaten 82 and shared an important partnership with Finn Allen during the innings.
The youngster said batting alongside Allen made his role easier during the innings.
“Yes, I did, especially because we won. Got so easy for me, just had to give him (Allen) a strike and watch from the other end. That was my role at the start of the innings.
“I’m not used to the keeping duties; it’s taking everything out of me. The score says it all. I thought it was a great surface. Hope we can play on these surfaces every game. They have to kick me out of the nets, I play a lot of balls. Ever since I was a kid, my coach, Abhishek Nayar, has gotten me used to hitting 1000 balls a day.”
KKR stay alive in playoff race
The victory keeps Kolkata Knight Riders alive in the playoff race after a difficult campaign filled with inconsistency. KKR are now placed sixth on the points table and remain within touching distance of the top four.
For Gujarat Titans, the defeat may not hurt their position heavily, but the dropped chances and fielding mistakes exposed areas the team will want to fix before the knockout stage begins.
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