8:06pm Right. That will be that from us for this game. The action in the IPL, though, does come quite thick and fast. Do hop over to the DC-SRH game, where Abhishek Sharma has given SRH the start they were after. Until next time, this is me (Shashwat) signing off on behalf of Chandan, Vairavan and everyone else at ESPNcricinfo! Goodbye and take care!

Josh Little, Player of the Match: I just spoke to Hardik before the game and we talked about keeping it as simple as possible - hitting the hard lengths, and happy that I could do it today. The first game of the season was always going to be nerves. I have settled in nicely now. (On his plan on this pitch) It was just about smashing back of a length and letting the ball do the talking.

Hardik Pandya, Gujarat Titans captain: (On Noor and Little) They got us back in the game and they kept us in the hunt. The way Gurbaz batted - he was hitting good balls with some conviction and clarity. The way they (Noor and Little) bowled was great. I would have taken 180 on that wicket any given day. In a group, we know that to win the game, irrespective of the situation, we have to play good cricket. that humbleness is helping us win games of cricket. They are respecting the situation, we want to face it and it is just about playing good cricket and being smart. (On Vijay Shankar) He is a fitter Vijay Shankar, more confident and the amount of hard work he has put in is terrific. His hits changed the game and moving forward, we can expect more of the same. I always felt that good people get to good places and he is certainly one of those.

Nitish Rana, Kolkata Knight Riders captain: (On the score) I think we were 20-25 runs short. If we keep dropping catches against big teams, I do not think the result will be any different. No one apart from Gurbaz and Russell got going. There were not enough partnerships and had we had a partnership of 40-50 runs, the score could have been more. We kept them quiet in the middle overs but against such teams, if you do not take your chances, you will end up on the losing side. If we do well in all three departments, only then will we have a chance. Unless we do that, the result will not be in our favour. I feel the small moments are more important than the big moments. If you do these small things well, like taking catches and fielding well, there are more chances of victory.

7:51pm Well, the Gujarat Titans did it at a canter towards the end. But just before Miller and Shankar joined hands, KKR seemed in the contest, with their spinners keeping things tight in the middle overs. As the game moved into the final phase, though, Miller and Shankar took it up a notch and KKR just could not respond. They also dropped Miller at a crucial juncture and that eventually came back to haunt them.

As for GT, this win catapults them to the top of the table. They have aced another run-chase and the way they have been hunting down totals, they look on course to make the playoffs for the second time running. In an ideal world, they would have wanted one of Gill or Hardik to have batted deeper but they would not mind that, especially with their middle order firing on all cylinders.

17.6
1w
Rana to Shankar, 1 wide, that will be that! A wide to finish it off! Full delivery fired down the leg side. Shankar swings and misses but then sees the umpire indulge in a bit of exercise! GT go to the top of the table and all the optimism generated after KKR's win against RCB at Bengaluru, has evaporated into smoke!
17.5
6
Rana to Shankar, SIX, scores level! Shankar goes to fifty, off just 24 balls! Length delivery on leg stump. Shankar gets down on one knee again and mousses it over deep backward square leg!
17.4
1
Rana to Miller, 1 run, full delivery outside off stump. Miller shimmies around his crease before driving it towards deep extra cover for one
17.3
1
Rana to Shankar, 1 run, full delivery on leg stump. Shankar opts to stay back before working it towards deep mid wicket
17.2
4
Rana to Shankar, FOUR, four more! Full delivery down the leg side. Shankar gets inside the line of the ball and paddles it powerfully past deep square leg!
17.1
1
Rana to Miller, 1 run, length delivery at the stumps. Miller shanks it down the ground for a single

Wow, what a passage of play this has been for Gujarat. They have ransacked 55 runs in the last three overs and are now on the verge of their sixth win this season. Here is Nitish Rana - the final roll of the dice

END OF OVER:
17 | 24 Runs | GT: 166/3 (14 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 9.76, RRR: 4.66)

  • Vijay Shankar40 (21b)
  • David Miller30 (16b)
  • Varun Chakravarthy4-0-42-0
  • Andre Russell3-0-29-1
16.6
6
Varun to Shankar, SIX, third six of the over! Dragged down outside off stump. Shankar has all the time in the world to rock back and smear it over cow corner!
16.5
4lb
Varun to Shankar, 4 leg byes, back of a length delivery on off stump that spins back. Shankar is cut in half but the ball deflects off the thigh pad and races away past short third man for four!
16.4
1
Varun to Miller, 1 run, short and wide outside off stump. Miller goes back and cuts it towards deep cover point for one
16.3
1
Varun to Shankar, 1 run, short and wide outside off stump. Shankar hacks it into the track and it somehow bounces over the bowler's head. Gets a single for his troubles

26 needed off 22 now. Surely this is GT's to lose?

GT 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st41WP SahaShubman Gill
2nd50HH PandyaShubman Gill
3rd2V ShankarShubman Gill
4th87DA MillerV Shankar

Indian Premier League

TeamMWLPTNRR
GT14104200.809
CSK1485170.652
LSG1485170.284
MI148616-0.044
RR1477140.148
RCB1477140.135
KKR146812-0.239
PBKS146812-0.304
DC145910-0.808
SRH144108-0.59