Gujarat Titans batter Sai Sudharsan endured a frightening moment during his side’s chase against Kolkata Knight Riders in Kolkata on Saturday, suffering a blow to the left elbow after an unfortunate incident in the third over. The injury came after a promising start for Sudharsan, but the match narrative had already been shaped by a sensational KKR batting display that delivered a massive total to chase.
Sudharsan’s injury mars GT’s chase
During Gujarat’s 248-run chase, Sudharsan appeared set to build momentum after getting off to a strong start. He struck one six and found the rope with four boundaries, but the tone changed sharply when Kartik Tyagi hit his left elbow with the final ball of the third over.
The delivery was short of a length as Sudharsan crouched to pull. He somehow managed to complete a run—almost pulling it off before trouble struck—and then immediately fell to the ground in pain. The physio attended to him, and after extended assessment, Sudharsan decided to walk off.
Allen’s 93 and KKR’s 247/2 power past GT
Earlier in the evening, Finn Allen produced a breathtaking innings of 93 off 35 balls, after surviving two early chances. Kolkata Knight Riders made the most of Gujarat Titans’ sloppy fielding to post 247 for two—registering the season’s highest team total in the IPL.
- Allen was dropped on 14 and again on 33, and he punished both reprieves.
- He struck 10 sixes and four fours in his assault.
- Boundaries accounted for 86 runs in his innings.
Allen didn’t just set the pace—he laid the foundation for a chase-ending platform. As the innings progressed, Angkrish Raghuvanshi (82 not out) and Cameron Green (52 not out) ensured the momentum never dipped. The two combined for an unbeaten stand worth 108 runs for the third wicket, coming in just 53 deliveries in what was a must-win situation for KKR.
- Raghuvanshi finished unbeaten on 82.
- Green remained unbeaten on 52.
- The third-wicket partnership of 108 came off 53 balls.
Four missed chances and key reprieves
KKR’s big total was also built on a series of fielding errors from Gujarat, with the side dropping four catches during the innings. Those lapses were costly, with all three of KKR’s half-century-makers—Allen, Raghuvanshi and Green—turning those chances into substantial scores.
- Raghuvanshi was given a life on 52 when Washington Sundar missed out on a chance.
- Green was dropped on 23, with Arshad Khan failing to hold the opportunity off Rashid Khan.
KKR’s powerplay surge and late acceleration
Gujarat were put in to bowl first by skipper Shubman Gill on a sticky surface that had remained under covers after rain. Despite the conditions, Gujarat’s disciplined plans struggled, and poor catching only intensified the problems as KKR kept piling on runs.
- KKR reached 100 in nine overs.
- They moved from there to 200 in eight more overs.
Allen set the tone almost immediately for the home side. He survived a difficult chance on 14 when Jason Holder, standing tall at cover, managed fingertips to a sharp opportunity off Mohammed Siraj. From there, the New Zealand batter attacked Kagiso Rabada with relentless intent, launching consecutive sixes—one over mid-off and another whipped over midwicket—off a 149 kph delivery to reach 28 from just 11 balls.
While Allen dominated from one end, Ajinkya Rahane struggled to get going, making 14 from 14 balls before Siraj dismissed him. After Rahane’s departure, there was a brief slowdown during the powerplay before Allen received another reprieve.
Introduced into the attack, Holder tried to create pressure by forcing a mishit from the batter, but Siraj spilled a straightforward catch at long-on. From that moment, Allen moved into full overdrive, taking on both pace and spin with ease—finding the right lengths and clearing the boundary rope consistently.
Rashid Khan was not spared either. Allen welcomed him with two sixes and a four as he raced to a 21-ball half-century. Raghuvanshi played the ideal supporting role, using the pace effectively and keeping the scoreboard moving. He even produced a sharp scoop over the wicketkeeper off Rabada to get the innings going.
Allen looked set to register a second IPL hundred this season, but Rashid finally ended the carnage. Rashid took a well-judged catch at deep midwicket off Sai Kishore to bring Allen’s innings to a close.
In the closing overs, Green ensured there was no let-up. The Australian struck three sixes to keep the pressure on Gujarat, while Raghuvanshi also contributed as KKR finished with a commanding total.
