Cameron Green finally showed why Kolkata Knight Riders invested in him, firing a decisive 34-ball half-century to haul the franchise out of a difficult situation against Gujarat Titans. Green came to the crease when KKR were already under pressure after the loss of three early wickets, and he responded with an aggressive, calculated approach. He took on some of the better operators in the GT bowling attack, including Rashid Khan, and used that momentum shift to keep KKR’s innings alive at a vital stage.
The knock arrived at a sensitive time for the INR 25.2 crore recruit, who had attracted plenty of discussion after a subdued start to the campaign. In this match, he looked composed and confident, locating the gaps and finding the rope regularly to steady the chase of a respectable total. Green kept fighting through the innings and finished with 79 off 55 deliveries, including seven fours and four maximums, but KKR still ended up being bowled out for 180.
There was also some luck at key moments. An outside edge carried past the wicketkeeper, and not long after Green reached his fifty, Washington Sundar dropped a straightforward chance close to the boundary. Earlier, Green had faced scrutiny during the season because Cricket Australia had not cleared him to bowl in the opening matches. As a result, the 26-year-old was used strictly as a batter in his first three appearances while he continued his recovery from a lower back injury. That limited role only intensified the pressure, particularly since his batting returns had been modest in the early part of the tournament. Heading into Friday’s innings, he had scored just 56 runs across five games, prompting fresh questions about how much impact he could make in the XI.
Turning point after Powell’s dismissal
Green started cautiously and appeared out of sync at first, limping to 27 off 28 balls. The rhythm changed significantly after the dismissal of Rovman Powell, which acted as a clear turning point for KKR. Green went after Rashid Khan in the next over, hitting a boundary and then clearing the ropes with a six to swing the momentum back toward his side. That short surge appeared to unlock his timing, and after that he began finding scoring areas more consistently, which lifted the run rate.
Partnership boosts KKR’s hopes
From there, Green built a crucial 60-run stand for the fifth wicket with Anukul Roy, giving KKR renewed hope of pushing toward the 200 mark. Just as the innings looked to be stabilising, the balance shifted again when Anukul and Rinku Singh fell in quick succession, once more piling pressure onto the dressing room.
A brief cameo from Ramandeep Singh provided a momentary lift, but once he was dismissed—and then Sunil Narine departed as well—KKR were left reeling at eight down. With wickets falling at regular intervals, their chances of posting a truly imposing total faded again.
Late overs prove decisive
In the end, GT’s bowlers made it difficult for Green to chase a bigger milestone, because he kept losing partners and couldn’t settle into a finishing role. Under pressure during the last couple of overs, he was unable to produce the final push KKR needed and was eventually dismissed on the last ball of the innings, with the team unable to reach the century he was threatening earlier.
