Kolkata Knight Riders’ chances of reaching the IPL 2025 playoffs were dealt a massive blow as the Ajinkya Rahane-led side slumped to a 39-run loss against Gujarat Titans in Kolkata on Monday. It was KKR’s fifth defeat in 8 matches as they are currently seventh in the IPL table with 6 points. Following this loss, KKR will have to win all of their remaining six matches to guarantee their spot in the playoffs. However, they can still qualify if they win 5 out of their remaining 6 matches but in that scenario, the net run rate and other team’s results may play a huge role. If KKR win 4 more matches in IPL 2025, they will be all but out of the playoffs race but a slight chance will remain mathematically.

Prasidh Krishna and Rashid Khan picked two wickets each in a disciplined bowling performance to set up Gujarat Titans’ 39-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens on Monday. The clinical victory also means that GT maintain their top ranking in the points table.

After captain Shubman Gill’s excellent 55-ball 90, along with B Sai Sudharsan’s 52 and Jos Buttler’s 41 helped GT a competitive 198/3 on a slow pitch, Krishna and Rashid were the standout players in a relentless bowling performance as KKR never looked to complete the chase and ended up at 159/8 in their 20 overs.

KKR’s change at the top-order didn’t work as Mohammed Siraj trapped Rahmanullah Gurbaz lbw in the opening over, with the batter burning a review as well. Ajinkya Rahane continued his good run by flicking, ramping, flat-batting and driving to fetch four quick boundaries.

Though Sunil Narine tried to break free by whacking a four and six off Siraj, he pulled straight to deep backward square leg off Rashid, as KKR ended power-play at 45/2. With the ball gripping and holding along with variable bounce in play, it meant GT spinners’ were very disciplined in keeping KKR at a tight leash, as they didn’t concede a boundary from overs 5-10.

Rahane finally got a move on when he lofted and pulled Washington Sundar for four and six. Despite Venkatesh Iyer holing out to deep mid-wicket off R Sai Kishore, Rahane went on to bring up his fifty off 36 balls. Shortly after, he reached out to a quicker wide ball off Washington Sundar, but missed it and was duly stumped by Jos Buttler.

Though Andre Russell swung hard to get his boundaries, he along with Ramandeep Singh and Moeen Ali fell without doing much – two of which were bagged by Krishna – as the match eventually went in a rampaging GT’s favour.

(With IANS Inputs)