The Kolkata Knight Riders would have been hoping to get into the IPL 2025 playoffs after being thrashed by the Mumbai Indians cricketer Ashwani Kumar. It was KKR’s fifth defeat in this IPL season out of the eight matches they have played. Also, it places them on the points table at no. 7. The condition for KKR to qualify for the playoffs would be winning all the remaining six matches. If they won only five matches, their destiny would be in the hands of other teams’ net run rate.
However, should KKR win their next four matches, any hope for playoffs would be almost washed out, although there could still be a glimmering insignificance of a numerical possibility. The disciplined bowling attack from the Titans saw Prasidh Krishna and Rashid Khan share two wickets each and contributed to the Titans winning the match by 39 runs at Eden Gardens. The victory ensures that GT retains the pole position on the points table.
After a glittering contribution of 90 runs from captain Shubman Gill, a 55-ball innings, with B Sai Sudharsan at 52 and Jos Buttler at 41 supplementing well, GT set a tough task of 198/3 on a sluggish pitch. KKR struggled under Krishna and Rashid’s unrelenting bowling, finishing off with only 159/8 in their 20 overs. KKR’s change of batting order did not pay off, as Mohammed Siraj, much to KKR’s distress, dismissed Rahmanullah Gurbaz lbw in the first over, leading to a review that was wasted.
Ajinkya Rahane looked in good touch, dispatching a flurry of boundaries, but with Sunil Narine unable to catch up, KKR finished the power-play at 45/2. Andre Russell tried hitting some boundaries toward the end, but could not align with him, particularly falling alongside Ramandeep Singh and Moeen Ali, sealing an emphatic victory for the Titans.
