KKR vs GT, IPL 2023, Match 39, Stats Review: Vijay Shankar's heroics, expensive spell from Rashid Khan, and other stats

Rahmanuallah Gurbaz's knock of 81 went in vain as Joshua Little bowled a brilliant spell of  2/25 (4) and Vijay Shankar smashed 51* off 24 to help Gujarat Titans in defeating Kolkata Knight Riders by a margin of seven wickets in Match 39 of Indian Premier League 2023 in Kolkata

Hardik Pandya won the toss and opted to field first. Mohammed Shami drew the first blood as Narayan Jagadeesan departed in the third over after a 15-ball-19 run cameo. Soon Mohammed Shami sent back Shardul Thakur for a duck in the fifth over. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Venkatesh Iyer duo kept the scoreboard ticking by adding 37 runs for the third wicket.

Joshua Little not only broke the third wicket partnership but struck twice in the same over to send back both Venkatesh Iyer and Nitish Rana. Rahmanullah Gurbaz rose to his second fifty in IPL 2023 before getting dismissed for 81 off 31 by Noor Ahmad. Andre Russell played a quick knock of 34 off 19 balls and little cameos from Rinku Singh and David Wiese helped KKR to post 179 in 20 overs. 

In response to 179, GT got off to a brisk start in the powerplay as Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill added 41 runs in 4.1 overs, but Andre Russell drew the first blood for KKR as Wriddhiman Saha departed after a ten ball ten run cameo. Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya added a steady 50 run-stand for the second wicket before Harshit Rana in the eleventh over. Soon Sunil Narine sent back Shubman Gill for 49 off 35 in the twelfth over. Rapid Knock from Both Vijay Shankar (51 0ff 24) and David Miller (32 of18) helped GT to Chase 180 in the 18th over. 

Meanwhile, let us look at the stats and numbers from game number 39 between KKR and GT 

100 - Nitish Rana appeared in his 100th IPL game. 

100 - Rashid Khan appeared in his 100th IPL game. 

100 - Andre Russell appeared in his 100th IPL game for KKR 

333-Shubman Gill smashed 333 runs with an average of 41.62 and a strike rate of 142.30 in IPL 2023 

300- Hardik Pandya completed 300 fours in T20s 

54 - Rashid Khan registered his second most expensive spell in IPL  

Rashid Khan's most expensive Spell in IPL 

1/55 - vs PBKS 2018 

0/54 - vs KKR 2023 

1/49 - vs CSK 2018 

154 - Hardik Pandya has scored 154 runs in 7 innings with an average of 22 and a strike rate of 119.37