GT vs KKR IPL 2026 – Preview, Playing XI & Prediction

GT vs KKR 17 April 2026 – Match 25, IPL 2026: Gujarat Titans host Kolkata Knight Riders at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Toss and match begin at 7:30 PM IST. GT enter this contest on the back of two consecutive wins, while KKR are yet to register their first win of the season.

Match Details

Match: Gujarat Titans vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Match 25, IPL 2026

Date: Friday, 17 April 2026

Time: 7:30 PM IST

Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

Final Score

KKR (Batting First): 180/10 (20 overs)

GT (Chasing): 181/5 (19.4 overs)

Match Result

Gujarat Titans won by 5 wickets

Match Summary

Gujarat Titans defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by 5 wickets at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. KKR won the toss and chose to bat first, but were bowled out for 180 on the final ball despite Cameron Green's brilliant 79 off 55 balls. GT then chased down the target with 2 balls to spare, powered by a commanding 86 off 50 balls from captain Shubman Gill. This is GT's third consecutive win, lifting them to 4th place on the IPL 2026 points table with 6 points from 5 matches. KKR remain winless at the bottom with just 1 point from 6 matches.

Player of the Match

Shubman Gill (GT) – 86 off 50 balls (8 fours, 4 sixes)

Gill anchored the chase brilliantly, reaching his fifty in just 27 balls. He looked set for a century before being caught at third man off Vaibhav Arora with GT needing just 23 off 3 overs. His knock sealed GT's third successive win.

Key Performances

Batting

GT:

Shubman Gill – 86 (50 balls) – 8 fours, 4 sixes
Sai Sudharsan – 22
Jos Buttler – 25 (2 sixes, 2 fours)
Rahul Tewatia & Shahrukh Khan – finished the chase

KKR:

Cameron Green – 79 (55 balls)
Rovman Powell – 27
Anukul Roy – cameo in lower order
Ajinkya Rahane – 0 (out first ball)

Bowling

GT:

Kagiso Rabada – 3/29
Mohammed Siraj – 2/23
Ashok Sharma – 2/45

KKR:

Varun Chakravarthy – 2/34
Vaibhav Arora – took the key wicket of Gill

Match Highlights

KKR won the toss and opted to bat, but Rahane was dismissed first ball by Siraj
Rabada reduced KKR to 32/3 inside the powerplay
Cameron Green and Powell rebuilt with a 55-run stand
Green completed his 50 off 34 balls with 4 fours and 3 sixes
KKR collapsed in death overs — 5 wickets fell for just 26 runs
Gill and Sudharsan opened with a blazing 57-run stand off just 5 overs
GT scored 71 runs in the powerplay while chasing
Gill reached his fifty in 27 balls, looking set for a century
Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan calmly finished the chase

Points Table Update

Gujarat Titans moved to 4th place with 6 points from 5 matches after their third consecutive win. Kolkata Knight Riders remain rooted to the bottom (10th) with just 1 point from 6 matches — 5 losses and 1 washout — making their playoff hopes extremely slim.

What Went Wrong for KKR?

KKR's middle and lower order once again let them down badly. Despite Green's outstanding 79, the batters around him failed to contribute, and five wickets were lost for only 26 runs in the death overs. Their total of 180 was 15–20 runs short on a batting-friendly pitch. With the ball, their bowlers had no answers to Gill's aggressive intent from ball one.

Current Form

Gujarat Titans (GT) had a shaky start with back-to-back losses to Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals, but have bounced back brilliantly with wins over Delhi Capitals (by 1 run in a last-ball thriller) and Lucknow Super Giants (by 7 wickets). They currently sit 6th on the points table with 4 points from 4 matches. Shubman Gill has been in brilliant form with 165 runs in 3 innings at an average of over 55, while Jos Buttler has scored 176 runs at a strike rate of 158. Prasidh Krishna leads the Purple Cap race with 10 wickets.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are in a full-blown crisis. They are the only winless team in IPL 2026, sitting at the bottom of the table with just 1 point from 5 matches (4 losses, 1 washout vs Punjab Kings). Ajinkya Rahane has been KKR's most reliable batter with 152 runs at a strike rate of 149. KKR desperately need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Predicted Playing XI

Gujarat Titans (GT)

Sai Sudharsan
Shubman Gill (C)
Jos Buttler (WK)
Washington Sundar
Glenn Phillips
Shahrukh Khan
Rahul Tewatia
Rashid Khan
Kagiso Rabada
Mohammed Siraj
Ashok Sharma
Impact Sub: Prasidh Krishna

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

Finn Allen / Tim Seifert
Ajinkya Rahane (C)
Sunil Narine
Cameron Green
Angkrish Raghuvanshi (WK)
Rovman Powell
Rinku Singh
Ramandeep Singh
Anukul Roy
Varun Chakravarthy
Vaibhav Arora / Kartik Tyagi

Pitch Report – Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

The Narendra Modi Stadium is known for its large dimensions and batting-friendly surface. Fast bowlers can extract some early swing in the powerplay, but it settles into a belter as the innings progress. Spinners can get some grip in the middle overs. The average first-innings score at this venue in IPL 2026 is around 175–210 runs. With dew possibly playing a role in the second innings, both captains will prefer to field first after winning the toss.

Weather Report

Ahmedabad is experiencing a heatwave with temperatures reaching 41°C during the day. By match time at 7:30 PM IST, temperatures will drop to around 35–36°C. Clear skies with absolutely no chance of rain. Dew may be a slight factor in the second innings.

Head-to-Head Record

GT and KKR have faced each other 5 times in IPL history. GT have won 3, KKR have won 1, and 1 match ended in no result. At Narendra Modi Stadium, KKR won their only match here — the famous 2023 game where Rinku Singh smashed five consecutive sixes in the final over. Since then, GT have won the next two meetings. KKR's highest score in this fixture is 207, GT's highest is 204.

Key Players to Watch

Gujarat Titans

Shubman Gill – Averaging 46.25 vs KKR at SR 147. Two fifties already this season.
Jos Buttler – 176 runs in 4 innings at SR 158. GT's most explosive batter.
Prasidh Krishna – Purple Cap leader with 10 wickets this season.
Rashid Khan – Controls the middle overs and can change any game.

Kolkata Knight Riders

Ajinkya Rahane – KKR's most consistent batter with 152 runs at SR 149.
Sunil Narine – KKR's X-factor with bat and ball both.
Varun Chakravarthy – Mystery spin could be key on a gripping surface.
Angkrish Raghuvanshi – Best young batter for KKR, capable of exploding in powerplay.

Match Prediction

Gujarat Titans are clear favourites at home with a win probability of around 60–62%. GT are in superb form with a settled squad and players firing at the right time. KKR need a near-perfect performance to cause an upset. Expect GT to post a big total with Gill and Buttler leading the charge, and Prasidh Krishna and Rashid Khan doing the damage with the ball.

Prediction: Gujarat Titans to win Match 25

Points Table Snapshot (Before Match)

Gujarat Titans are 6th with 4 points (2W, 2L from 4 matches). Kolkata Knight Riders are 10th with just 1 point (0W, 4L, 1 NR from 5 matches). A GT win will push them into the top 4 conversation, while a KKR win is absolutely critical for their playoff survival.