Gujarat Titans bowling unit held its own despite Rahmanullah Gurbaz's scintillating 81 as Kolkata Knight Riders could only manage a below-par 179 for 7 on a good batting track in an IPL match in Kolkata on Saturday. (More Cricket News) | (Scorecard)
Returning to the side after Jason Ro🌄y pulled out because of a back spasm, the Afghanistan opener struck his second fifty of the season as he smashed seven sixes and five fours en route to his 39-ball knock.
But once rookie Afghanistan spinner Noor Ahmed (4-0-21-2) dismissed his teammate with compatriot Rashid Khan completing a well-judged catch, KKR didn't make good use of the final few overs as Mohammed Shami (3/33 in 4 overs) and Irishman Josh𒆙 Little (2/25 in 4 overs) did play their part to perfection.
At 135/5,🧔 KKR had the firepower of Andre Russell and Rinku Singh with 28 balls to go. But they could not get past 200-mark, which always gives a team psycho🅘logical edge.
Rinku became Noor's second victim, while 'birthday boy' Russell could not express himself♌ 🐷fully with GT bowlers doing well to restrict him for a 19-ball 34 not out (2x4, 3x6).
KKR managed just 45 runs and lost🧜 three wickets in the f✨inal five overs.
Put into bat, after a 45-minute rain interrupti🎃on KKR lost two wickets in the powerplay with Shami dismissing Narayan Jagadeesan (19 off 15 balls) and comeback man Shardul Thakur who capped a four-ball duck before being caught by superb 🔯backward running catch by Mohit Sharma.
But that did not drag back KKR as Gurbaz showed the way with some clean powerhitting, racing ℱto a 27-ball fifty with four fours and four sixes.
Making his i🉐ntent clear, Gurbaz teed off smashing GT skipper Pandya for two sixes in three balls.
He then took the attack on Shami with disd🍒ain.
The Indian pace spearhead angled a delivery onto him, but Gurbaz was in full flow as he backed away and smashed it s♊traight over the bowler's head to race to 26 off 10 balls.
Rash🐠id (0/54 in 4 overs) was brought in but he also failed to stem the flow of runs with a relentless Gurbaz striking in full force.
