Shubman Gill, the captain, rotated his pace battery astutely and the quartet responded by tightening the noose around Kolkata Knight Riders at both ends of the innings. And Gill, the batter, was at his gorgeous-yet-glitzy best, setting up Gujarat Titans’ comfortable win against a beleaguered opponent at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Friday.

Gill not only notched up a hat-trick of fifties in the 2026 Indian Premier League but, more importantly, ensured Titans completed a hat-trick of wins to strengthen its claim for a Playoffs berth.

Chasing 181 — a competitive but far from imposing target given KKR’s depleted pace resources and C.V. Varun’s dip in form — Titans were never under real pressure. Gill’s knock, laced with textbook precision and effortless timing, meant the chase was always under control.

The tone was set early. The moment Gill caressed a cover drive off Vaibhav Arora in the opening over, it hinted at what was to follow. While Gill unfurled strokes all around the ground, B. Sai Sudharsan added impetus, taking on Anukul Roy with a pair of sixes in the third over.

Even after Sudharsan fell to Sunil Narine’s off-spin, Jos Buttler ensured the PowerPlay ended on a brisk note, scoring 14 off the final five deliveries. From there, Gill took charge, never allowing KKR to claw its way back.

There was a brief moment when Gill looked set to finish the game in style and perhaps even push towards a fifth IPL hundred. But Cameron Green’s acrobatic effort running in from deep third cut short that possibility. By then, however, the job was all but done. With 23 needed off three overs, Glenn Phillips and Rahul Tewatia completed formalities without fuss.

Earlier, Titans’ pacers had laid the foundation for the win. Striking thrice in the PowerPlay to reduce KKR to 37 for three, they dictated terms early. Even as Green and Rovman Powell mounted a counterattack in the middle overs, the Titans attack never lost control.

The death overs sealed it. KKR managed just 32 runs for five wickets in the last five overs, a collapse that ensured Green’s first substantial contribution of the season did little to alter the outcome.

Published on Apr 17, 2026