Kolkata, Apr 21: Captain Shubman Gill top-scored with an excellent 55-ball 90 as Gujarat Titans posted a competitive 198/3 in their 20 overs against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens on Monday.

On a slow pitch, GT made 45 runs in the power-play, but upped their scoring after power-play. Gill and B Sai Sudharsan, who made 52, had a brilliant 114-run opening stand. Jos Buttler hit a quick-fire 41 not out off 23 balls, as he benefitted from KKR’s fielding lapses. But one would wonder if GT didn’t much risks as they amassed only 59 runs off the last five overs.

Pushed into batting first, GT had a sedate start as Sudharsan smartly cut and then brought out a gorgeous cover drive to take two boundaries off Vaibhav Arora in the third over. Gill got going by slicing Harshit Rana for consecutive fours, before greeting Varun Chakaravarthy with another slice fetching him yet another boundary as GT ended power-play at 46/0.

After that, Gill upped his attacking game by dancing down the pitch and smacking Moeen Ali for six, before flicking and sweeping for consecutive fours. Gill and Sudharsan continued to bat effortlessly against Chakaravarthy, Sunil Narine and Harshit Rana. After Gill reached his fifty off 34 balls, Sudharsan brought up his half-century off 33 balls in the same over, as their opening stand went past hundred.

KKR’s move to bring in Andre Russell brought them immediate reward as Sudharsan went for a cut off the short ball, but only managed to get a faint edge and give regulation catch for keeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the 13th over. Buttler hit the ground running with five boundaries in his 12 balls – coming off a pull, a drive over extra cover, a scoop over third man, a top-edge on reverse sweep and Arora dropping the catch off his drive at mid-off, as the ball ran away to the fence.

Gill upped his strike-rate by tonking and pulling Chakaravarthy for consecutive boundaries, before slog-sweeping Narine for six. He then pulled and sliced Arora for six and four, before whipping straight to forward diving cow corner for 90. Despite Rahul Tewatia holing out to deep cover off Rana, Buttler hit three boundaries in the last two overs, as 18 runs came off the final over.

Brief Scores: Gujarat Titans 198/3 in 20 overs (Shubman Gill 90, B Sai Sudharsan 52; Andre Russell 1-13, Vaibhav Arora 1-44) against Kolkata Knight Riders

--IANS

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