GT vs KKR Match 25 Results

6:20 PM IST What's next? Been a long week? We feel you. But worry not, as an entertaining double header weekend awaits you all. Saturday, 18th April, will see two blockbuster clashes in the making. The day starts in Bengaluru, where the second-placed Royal Challengers Bengaluru host the Delhi Capitals at the M. Chinnaswamy. Following that game, it will be the southern derby in Hyderabad as Sunrisers Hyderabad take on the Chennai Super Kings at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. It all starts at 3.30 pm IST (10 am GMT), but our buildup begins well in advance. Until then, we sign off from here. Cheers!

6:19 PM IST GT dominate KKR at home - That's a hat-trick of wins for the Gujarat Titans after starting their season with two defeats in a row. They have got their campaign up and running and back on track. They will stay home for their next assignment as they host the Mumbai Indians on Monday, 20th April at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT). And as for the Kolkata Knight Riders, things are just looking so ominous for them, though they will walk out with a few positives. Cameron Green is back among runs, and Varun Chakaravarthy also found a bit of rhythm with the ball. But ultimately, they stay winless as the season fast-approaches the midpoint. The Knight Riders have a quick turnaround as they will be bound for home. They prepare to host the high-flying Rajasthan Royals at Eden Gardens on Sunday, 19th April at 3.30 pm IST (10 am GMT), hoping to get their first win.

6:17 PM IST PLAYER OF THE MATCH - The captain of the Gujarat Titans, Shubman Gill, receives the award for his outstanding knock of 86 (50). He also collects and wears the Orange Cap. Gill says that for him, playing the final and winning the cup is all that matters and not personal accolades. He admits they would have ideally liked to finish the game a couple of overs earlier and is quite disappointed with himself for not seeing it through. He adds that he will look to correct that the next time the opportunity arises. Shubman praises the way Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada bowled, saying it felt like they could pick up a wicket every ball. He reveals that he asked them if they could bowl 3 overs in a row, but acknowledges that in such hot conditions, it was not easy. The GT captain feels KKR took the game away from them in the middle phase and emphasises the importance of looking for wickets, especially against a side with a long batting line-up. Gill says they knew KKR would look to attack, so the focus was on finding attacking options with the ball. Gill also mentions that fitness is something he worked on in the months leading up to the tournament and adds that it is all about staying in the present. When asked if the beard is here to stay, Gill smiles and says he just wanted to try something different, adding that they have won 3 in a row since, so let's see.

6:11 PM IST Gill, the maestro with the bat - Sai and Gill did what Sai and Gill do. No fireworks, no hitting with anger, just silky timing into the gaps and ruthless punishment of anything loose. When Narine prised out Sudharsan, it threatened to open a door, but Buttler walked out and shut it immediately, batting with intent and refusing to let the dot balls pile up. By the end of the Powerplay, GT were cruising at 71/1. KKR, for context, had been 37 for 3 at the same stage. The game, in all honesty, was done and dusted right there. And the centre of dominance was Shubman Gill, who treated everyone with several eye-pleasing strokes, continuing his love affair with Ahmedabad and getting to a well-deserved half century as well.

6:11 PM IST Let's hear it from Kagiso Rabada - He begins by admitting that he felt he didn't bowl at his best in this game. Adds that bowling in India as a fast bowler can be challenging, and with the way the game has evolved, you have to keep up. He admits that the pitch played a part and gives credit to the batters, but stresses that the job remains to hit decent areas with the ball. He reflects on the tightening margins in the modern game, pointing to the Impact Player rule as something that stretches batting line-ups even further, leaving bowlers with far less room for error. His message to himself and his peers is to not be too hard on themselves when things do not go to plan. Rabada then turns to his new ball partner Siraj, saying it is awesome to see him bowling the way he is. He also shouts out Prasidh, the Purple Cap holder, for his consistency, and reserves special praise for Ashok, who he says has stepped up and bowled crucial overs. He hopes the group can continue in the same vein and keep delivering positive results.

6:08 PM IST The captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders - Ajinkya Rahane says it is never easy to talk immediately after a defeat, but he wants to focus on the positives. He highlights the impact made by Cameron Green after the kind of start they endured with the bat. Rahane adds that being 147/4 and then finishing on 180 made things slightly difficult, suggesting they fell short of what they were aiming for. He credits the bowling unit for taking the game deep and pushing it into the final over. Jinx praises Shubman Gill’s batting and notes that the back-of-a-length deliveries were holding on the surface. He shares that there was a bit of dew around, but is quick to add that he does not want to use that as an excuse. Rahane feels they needed wickets in the Powerplay to put more pressure on the opposition, but Sudharsan and Gill batted well.