GT vs KKR, 35th Match at Navi Mumbai, IPL, Apr 23 2022 - Ball by Ball Commentary

7:52pm Gujarat continue their winning run while, unfortunately, Kolkata continue their run of losses that has now extended to four-in-four. But it's a long tournament and nothing's guaranteed as yet. You can switch over to the RCB-SRH game as I S. Sudarshanan, take your leave on behalf of Vishal. Till the next time, take care! Ciao!

Rashid Khan, the player of the match: Definitely it was a great win. The way Hardik batted at the top and took us to 156 was a good total. Shami, Joseph and Yash bowled well and we tried to keep it tight. It is a kind of pressure when you are on 99. Luckily I got those two wickets and I am happy. But bowling economical helps put pressure. The more I bowl to Russell, the better for us. If we keep blocking, that might change momentum. His body doesn't get used to blocking the ball. So happy to be on the winning side.

Hardik Pandya: I said by the time the tournament is over I would lose all my hair. As a team we've been under pressure but the boys stepped up and showed their character. (Openers) I'll play against the odds, it hasn't come so far and must be around the corner. We're backing them and in the middle we're managing alright. Once they kick-in it'll be wonderful. We have three days and I will go back and focus on the things I can control. I thought we were ten-twelve runs short. But I back my bowlers. The wicket played similar throughout the match. I fancy on defending and having Rashid Khan and Lockie Ferguson changes dynamics. Shami in the powerplay, Alzarri bowling the way he bowled, Yash has bowled a no ball for the second time and he will get better. When that happened, we were like that game would have been over and it wouldn't have gone this close.

7:35pm The chase was mostly after Titans' pace battery, wasn't it? Six of the eight wickets fell to fast bowling and not to forget the other tw0. The wizard that is Rashid Khan picked up his 100th wicket in the IPL and was crucial in sapping momentum in the middle overs when things were getting tight. The Titans are now at the top while KKR are on seventh in the points table. It could well change again with Royal Challengers Bangalore taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad in the second game of the double-header Saturday (don't click on the link if you're an RCB fan).

Lockie Ferguson: Just gathering my thoughts after the win. Hell of an over from AJ after Russell did his thing. (About that catch) Honestly it's a bit of a blur. I thought he hit it straight up and it got big on me and did well to adjust. When someone like Dre Russ is in the middle anything can happen, the heart is still racing. The wicket was challenging to bat. The score that we got was a hiccup and Dre bowled a good last over. It's nice to look around the change room and look at the quality and experience of the bowlers.

Shreyas Iyer: The way we started in the powerplay while chasing and even with the ball. We shouldn't have conceded that much in these conditions. I think 160-165 was a decent score and we did well to keep them below that. In this format, all matches that are close we need to win those and only then we can climb up the ladder. Three out of our last four were very close matches. The energy and vibe is high before the game and it is disappointing that we are unable to convert it.

7:28pm The smiles on Hardik Pandya's face are unmissable. The entire Gujarat Titans dugout celebrates and there are handshakes and hugs galore. Pandya now walks out clapping. This is the lowest total successfully defended so far in IPL 2022.

It is a very impressive pace battery that the newbies have and they've yet again eked out a close win. Their smiles are so justified but a lot of questions need to be asked of KKR and their top-order batters' approach against some high-quality pace bowling. They lost four inside the powerplay, all to pace, and that pushed them back big time. If it were not for a certain Andre Russell, this game would have been done and dusted long before.

The Titans are already cheering.

A smart move means Southee is on strike now with 12 needed off four. Sixer Southee as he is known in some circles.

Two nights ago, Dhoni chased 16 off the last four balls at this venue. Now Russell needs 12 off 5. Fine leg goes back.

Alzarri Joseph now. Has 17 to defend against his fellow West Indian Andre Russell. None for 22 so far for Joseph. He has the longer boundary on the leg side. Square leg, midwicket and long-on at the fence.

18 off 7.

Russell calls Umesh belatedly for a mid-pitch chat.

Alzarri Joseph now. 29 needed off 12 balls. Ashish Nehra is at the boundary rope and is dishing out instructions after instructions. Can't take a seat can he! Now he does take a seat. Hold on. It is Yash Dayal to bowl the penultimate.

Last ball of the over, expect Umesh to have a mighty go at it.

Graham in the U: "Russell took 4 wickets in the last over of GT's innings. I'm betting he'll hit 4 sixes in the last over of this innings to win!!" Hahaha wow!

Ferguson to bowl his last now. Umesh on strike.

Nehra has a few words of wisdom to stand-in captain Rashid at the rope.

38 off 20 needed. What will Umesh do now. Shami comes over the wicket.

Nimesh: "It has been a while since I have seen such a good display of short bowling in T20! What a bowling unit!"