IPL 2023: Vijay Shankar’s fiery 51* helps Gujarat Titans trump Kolkata Knight Riders by 7 wickets

A smashing partnership between Vijay Shankar and David Miller steered holders Gujarat Titans to the top of the IPL table with a seven-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday.

Chasing 180 for victory, Gujarat were in trouble at 93-3 when Shankar (51) and the left-handed Miller (32) combined to achieve victory with 13 balls to spare at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.

Bowlers Mohammed Shami, Josh Little and Noor Ahmad set up victory after they kept down Kolkata to 179-7 despite a sparkling 81 by Rahmanullah Gurbaz in a match which started 45 minutes late due to rain and wet outfield.

In the chase, skipper Hardik Pandya fell for 26 and Shubman Gill departed on 49 when Miller, who survived a dropped catch on 26, took on the bowlers with a couple of sixes.

Shankar soon took over from his South African partner in their unbeaten stand of 87 with a six-hitting blitz as he reached his fifty in 24 balls.

Gujarat, who had a fairytale debut season when they clinched the Indian Premier League title last year, moved top of the 10-team table with six wins in eight matches.

Two-time champions Kolkata, led by Nitish Rana, stay seventh with six losses in nine matches.

Regular wickets hurt Kolkata’s chances of getting to a bigger total as they fell to 88-4, but Gurbaz, who made the team in place of injured England batsman Jason Roy, held firm.

Afghanistan’s Gurbaz smashed seven sixes in his attacking knock and put on 47 for the fifth wicket with Rinku Singh before he fell to Ahmad’s wily left-arm wrist spin.

Kolkata slipped again after Gurbaz’s departure but Andre Russell took on the opposition attack in his 19-ball 34 despite disciplined bowling from Shami, Little and Ahmad in the final five overs.

Little, a left-arm quick from Ireland, was named man of the match for his figures of 2-25.