Kolkata, Apr 21 (UNI) Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper Shubman Gill produced a batting exhibition, hammering a scintillating 90 off 55 deliveries to guide his side to an imposing 198/3 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the iconic Eden Gardens on Monday night.

Gill’s authoritative knock was the fulcrum of GT’s innings, putting the hosts under constant pressure from the outset. He set the tone early with a majestic 78-metre six over deep midwicket off Moeen Ali (6.1), signalling his intent in style.

The 25-year-old opener combined patience with power, timing his acceleration perfectly after the powerplay. He forged a crucial 114-run opening partnership with Sai Sudharsan, who continued his fine form with a fluent 52 off 36 balls.

The duo effortlessly rotated the strike and found boundaries with ease, keeping the KKR bowlers at bay.

Gill’s shot selection was exemplary throughout the innings. He brought out the slogsweep against Sunil Narine (16.2) for a towering six and played several elegant strokes off both spin and pace. His crisp pull through square leg off Harshit Rana (4.2) and a sublime cover drive off Vaibhav Arora (2.5) stood out among a host of classy shots.

Even though his innings ended with a superb diving catch by Rinku Singh at deep midwicket (17.5), Gill had already laid a solid foundation for a big finish. His knock featured 10 boundaries and 3 sixes, earning him a standing ovation from the GT dugout.

Jos Buttler added impetus in the death overs, remaining unbeaten on a quickfire 44* off 22 balls. He struck timely boundaries and anchored the finishing phase in the company of Shahrukh Khan, who applied the final blow with a towering six over midwicket off Vaibhav Arora (19.5).

Powered by Gill’s brilliance and Buttler’s finishing flourish, Gujarat Titans ended with a strong total, bolstering their hopes of staying in contention for the playoffs.

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