{"id":16322,"date":"2026-05-16T06:26:22","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T06:26:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/saharanews.in\/2026\/05\/16\/kkr-hope-to-stay-alive-gujarat-titans-eye-playoff\/"},"modified":"2026-05-16T06:26:22","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T06:26:22","slug":"kkr-hope-to-stay-alive-gujarat-titans-eye-playoff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/saharanews.in\/?p=16322","title":{"rendered":"KKR hope to stay alive, Gujarat Titans eye playoff"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div data-articlebody=\"1\"><video-embed value=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"ihgno clearfix  \">\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-131131874,imgsize-68196,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/rahane-gill-1605-s.jpg\" alt=\"IPL 2026: KKR hope to stay alive, Gujarat Titans eye playoff\" title=\"&lt;p&gt;Ajinkya Rahane and Shubman Gill (Image credit: BCCI\/IPL) &lt;\/p&gt;\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Ta7d_ img_cptn\"><span title=\"Ajinkya Rahane and Shubman Gill (Image credit: BCCI\/IPL) \"><\/p>\n<p>Ajinkya Rahane and Shubman Gill (Image credit: BCCI\/IPL) <\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>KOLKATA: Change is the buzz word in Bengal now. And Kolkata Knight Riders will look for the same in their home match winning record this season as they return to the Eden Gardens after almost a month.<!-- --> The three-time IPL champions got off to a poor start managing just one home win in four matches to kickstart this year\u2019s campaign.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"3\"\/>They made a remarkable turnaround winning four games in a row but a defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the last match once again put them on the brink of elimination. As a matter of fact, their chances of making the playoffs remain more of a mathematical possibility than a practical one.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"7\"\/> <span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"10\"\/>Even winning their last three matches, which will take them to a maximum of 15 points, might not be enough as they will have to hope for a number of other results to go their way. Winning three-in-arow will also not be an easy task for KKR as they run into Gujarat Titans on Saturday.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"12\"\/>The result of the match is likely to affect GT more than KKR as a win will not only confirm the former\u2019s spot in the playoffs, but will also strengthen their chances to finish in the top-two.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"15\"\/>The Titans are playing as a well-oiled unit having all their bases covered. Even if you manage to restrict their batters, the bowlers will come hard at you. Remember how they bowled out a batting powerhouse like Sunrisers Hyderabad for 86 only in the last game.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"17\"\/>They will start as favourites coming on the back of a five-match winning streak. Former Knight Shubman Gillled side would like to do a \u2018double\u2019 on KKR after beating them by five wickets in the first leg almost a month ago.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"20\"\/>It would be a challenge for KKR\u2019s bowling unit to stop Gujarat\u2019s in-form opening pair of Gill and Sai Sudharsan. The two are among the top-10 run-getters this season and are giving the side a flying start in almost all games. Although not in his best form, Jos Buttler has also contributed handsomely coming one down and will love to return to a venue where he got unbeaten 107 off 60 for Rajasthan Royals in 2024.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"22\"\/>Washington Sundar scoring 50 coming down the order in the last game should inspire the top three to play more freely. And there\u2019s no soft pick in a bowling unit of Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Jason Holder and Rashid Khan.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"24\"\/>Read More: <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/sports\/cricket\/ipl\/ipl-2026\/ipl-match-today-kkr-vs-gt-predicted-playing-xi-head-to-head-toss-timing-pitch-report-kolkata-weather-update\/articleshow\/131131537.cms\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\">IPL Match Today, KKR vs GT: Predicted playing XI, head-to-head, toss timing, pitch report, Kolkata weather update<\/a><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"27\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/sports\/cricket\/ipl\/ipl-2026\/ipl-2026-kkr-hope-to-stay-alive-gujarat-titans-eye-playoff\/articleshow\/131131836.cms\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ajinkya Rahane and Shubman Gill (Image credit: BCCI\/IPL) KOLKATA: Change is the buzz word in Bengal now. And Kolkata Knight Riders will look for the same in their home match winning record this season as they return to the Eden Gardens after almost a month. The three-time IPL champions got off to a poor start&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16323,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16322","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/saharanews.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16322","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/saharanews.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/saharanews.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saharanews.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saharanews.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16322"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/saharanews.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16322\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saharanews.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/16323"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/saharanews.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16322"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saharanews.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16322"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saharanews.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16322"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}