The IPL 2025 season continues to deliver thrilling action as teams fiercely compete for top positions. Match 38 of the IPL 2025 season was played at the Eden Gardens between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on April 21. The GT defeated KKR by 39 runs in a comprehensive performance that consolidated their standing in the points table through their clinical all-around display.

Gujarat Titans Innings

The Gujarat Titans put up a dominant batting performance after being put in to bat first. The skipper, Shubman Gill, drove the GT batting effort forward by smashing 90 runs from his 55 deliveries to advance the team score while maintaining consistent run-scoring. Sai Sudharsan partnered Gill by facing 36 balls, during which he scored his half-century before the innings ended at 198/3 in twenty overs. Jos Buttler provided the finishing blow to the GT innings by striking 41 runs without loss while facing 23 deliveries, thus enabling GT to post a total of 198/3 in 20 overs.

Russell's tight spell of 1/13 over 1 bowled by KKR earned him recognition among the team's bowlers following his 1-over performance. He received support from Vaibhav Arora and Harshit Rana, who claimed one wicket, but each resulted in a huge number of conceded runs at 44 and 45 during their 4-over stint.

Kolkata Knight Riders Innings

Chasing a stiff target of 199, the Knight Riders fell short, managing only 159/8 in their 20 overs. In the KKR batting lineup, Ajinkya Rahane made 50 runs from 36 deliveries to lead the team, while Angkrish Raghuvanshi finished with an attacking 27 from 13 balls. During KKR's innings, Andre Russell hit 21 runs off 15 balls, yet he did not develop this score into a decisive triumph.

The Titans limited the opposition with consistent bowling performance throughout the game. The match belonged to Prasidh Krishna and Rashid Khan, as both claimed 2 wickets against 25 runs in their 4-over allocations. Ishant Sharma maintained his economy rate through two overs, which restricted KKR to 1/18, thus preventing them from getting anywhere close to the target.

Also Read: Top 3 Reasons why Kolkata Knight Riders Lost to Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025 Match 39

KKR vs GT: Post Match Reactions

Shubman Gill (Captain and Player of the Match, GT): Gill was happy to have back-to-back wins for a team. He thought it was important for one of the top 3 batters to play to the end, and they needed to focus on adjusting to the pitch. Gill said he was happy to get the win, but there were some emotional moments, as finishing games can be tough even when ahead. He said they could have done some things a bit better, as they missed out on 10 extra runs and had some unforced ones again, but he thought the strength of their team was that they always found ways to win even when not playing as well as they could. 

R Sai Kishore (GT): Sai Kishore said the pitch was helpful for bowlers throughout the game and even more so in the second innings. He said it is always important to adjust angles and speed when bowling to a dangerous batter like Andre Russell. He said it was good to have Rashid Khan on their side and called him one of the best T20 bowlers. As a team, they have every bit of belief in Rashid. Fielding was a big positive for GT, and they are continually focused on processes and playing good cricket. 

Ajinkya Rahane (Captain, KKR): Rahane thought the target of 199 was achievable and commended the bowlers for keeping his team in the game. Although he did say the top orders need to make stronger starts. Rahane stressed the value of fielding and intention on the field. Rahane asked his batters to show courage and play attacking cricket while fully backing his middle-order players. Rahane went on to praise Angkrish Raghuvanshi's performance and discussed pushing players to maintain the run rate.

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Kolkata Knight Riders vs Gujarat Titans: Match Scorecard

Gujarat Titans – 198/3 (20 Overs)

Knight Riders – 159/8 (20 Overs)